Forever Bound
by Karren
Summary: A sequel to Snow Bound. In this there is a lot of Drama surrounding Steph and Lester and Bobby has a big role. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

This is a sequel to Snow Bound. I do not own anything from JE. Some of the chapters may be long and some may be short, it's just how my muse worked for me as I wrote it. I hope you Enjoy!

4:30 am

Standing in Lester's one bedroom RangeMan issued apartment, Stephanie pulled back the industrial grade curtains and looked out over Trenton. She thought over the events 3 months ago that led her to be with the man that was sleeping just a few feet from her. Looking back over to Lester's sleeping form a tear escaped her eye. Swiping it away with her finger, she turned, misjudged herself in the dark bedroom, and crashed her knee into Lester's dresser.

"Owwww Dammitt" she cried out as the light flicked on

Ever the trained man he was, Lester had his gun in his hand the minute he heard noise in his room. Scanning around, Steph quickly identified herself to him, and then only did he relax and sit the gun back on the night stand.

"Steph Baby its 4:35 am" he told her squinting at the clock" what are you doing up? Come back to bed you don't get to stay over often"

"I know, but I can't sleep"

Lester rubbed his eyes free of sleep and tossed the blankets off of him. Steph watched as he sat up, got his bearings, and then walked over to her. Placing his hand onto her cheek, he sleepily looked down at her meeting her eyes.

"You always sleep. Steph what's wrong?"

"My stomach's upset. I was just looking out the window while it settled" she told him

"Again? Beautiful you've been complaining about your stomach for weeks now"

"I'm sure its fine. Ranger may have been right all along and the donuts really are killing me" she laughed

"That's not funny. I don't want anything to take you away from me"

"Sorry" Steph said laying her head on to Lester's chest feeling his arms come around her

"Mmmm this is nice. I don't get to hold you a lot since we agreed to keep our dating on the down low. Come on lets lay down I want to hold you till I have to go to work.

Letting her go, Lester went over to his bed and sat down with his back up against the head board. Looking over to Stephanie he held his hand out for her to come to him. Walking over she slipped her hand into his and was pulled to sit between his legs with her back to his chest. Sliding his hand under his shirt that she wore after they had made love, Lester sat his palm on her stomach and began to gently rub.

"Mmmmmm" Steph let out on a sigh

"Right there?"

"Mmmmmmhmmmm" she moaned, his touch heating her up

"You're so hot when you wear my shirt"

"Why do you think I always put it on then?" she asked his hand making her feel a little better

Growling in her ear as he rubbed her stomach, Lester took his free hand and pulled her head over to the side and began to lick and kiss her neck, which now was exposed to him. Feeling Steph's body respond, Lester glided his hand from her stomach to cup her between her legs,

"Ohhhhh" Steph softly moaned

"God baby the way your body reacts when I touch you and those sounds you make"

Lester began to slightly tease her as her body bucked into his hand begging for him to proceed. Smiling a wicked smile, Lester slipped a finger into her wet hot center while whispering in her ear making her moan and move to the rhythm his finger created. Adding a second finger and then a third, Stephanie nearly catapulted off the bed.

"God I'm gonna cum" she moaned out her body writhing under his hand

"Let it go baby"

Lester bit down and sucked hard where her shoulder met her neck. Steph arched her back and screamed out as her orgasm ripped thru her. Slumping back onto Lester's chest, he kissed her neck and shoulder softly as she regained her breathing.

"Steph baby you ok?" Lester asked as she sat up and pulled his shirt back down

"Mmmhmm"

"Steph look at me" he said seeing her avoiding eye contact

Moving in front of her he pulled her chin up to meet his face.

"Steph you're blushing"

"Yea just a little embarrassed" she told him going redder

"What's to be embarrassed about?" he chuckled not understanding

"I don't know. I know we've been together but doing stuff like that just sometimes gets me. I guess how it was just me being signaled out and you watching. You know what I mean?"

"Yea, I think I do but Steph you have nothing to be embarrassed about. I love how your body responds and how it reacts to the slightest of touches from me, and the sounds you man drive me insane"

Lester softly kissed her bringing her to lie on top of him as he lay back on the bed.

"Your so beautiful when you cum, your just glowing" he told her kissing her

Steph stilled as she heard him say she was glowing, her stomach knotted up as she tried to regain control. Taking her hand, Lester placed it on his very hard and painful erection.

"I need to be inside of you"

"Yes" Stephanie said as she rubbed him thru his boxers

BEEP,BEEP, BEEP, BEEP

Both Stephanie and Lester stopped at what they were doing and looked over at the bedside clock. Five A.M. time to get up, shower, and go to work.

"DAMN" Lester swore out in frustration

"Lets just finish and then you can go"

"Cant Steph Tank'll have my balls if I'm late" Lester told her

"But Rangers in Boston, he won't know. That's why I got to spend the night"

"Yea, but Tank will tell him and if not he will find out somehow" he told her rolling her off of him and heading off to the shower

Stephanie's stomach began to protest again as Lester went into the bathroom. Clutching it Steph pulled on her denim skirt she wore to Lester's the day before.

"Hey where you going?" he asked her seeing her go over to the door

"Down to Bobby's, to see if he has anything for my stomach"

"Upset again?" he asked worried

"Yea, it never did really go away. I'll be right back"

Stephanie walked out of Lester's bedroom and then up the small hallway to the living room. Reaching the front door she heard the shower turn on. Opening the door she stepped out into the hallway, sighing she closed the door and walked down to Bobby's apartment.


	2. Chapter 2

5am found Bobby Brown walking around his apartment wearing only his boxers, as he went about getting ready for his day. This was his calm before the storm, his time before he had to be called to put his hands in and see some of the vilest stuff you could imagine.

Shaving, putting his clothes on, packing his medic bag, and then tieing his boots was his daily morning routine. After he was finished with all his morning chores he had just a few minutes to sit down, close his eyes, and be quiet before the noise of RangeMan assaulted him. Sitting his butt down in one of the only luxury items he allowed himself, his overstuffed leather chair, Bobby closed his eyes only to be interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Oh come on cant I have one minute of peace before someone's shot around here?" he asked yanking open the door immediately stopping his tirade when he saw who it was

"I'm sorry Bobby. I'll just go"

"Steph wait" he called as she retreated down the hall "STEPH STOP"

Bobby saw her stop when he yelled at her. He jogged down to her and placed a hand onto her shoulder. When he turned her around he saw the tears. Alarm bells sounding thru him he asked her what was going on.

"Something happen to Ranger in Boston?"

"No "she sniffed

"Santos, Hal, Cal?"

"No" she said again

"Who Steph?"

"Me" she said as fresh tears fell down her face as she moved into Bobby's arms

Surprised for a second, Bobby placed his arms around her and held her to him. Steph laid her head on his wide chest and sobbed. Stroking her hair and trying to sooth her he stepped back and offered his hand to her.

"Let's go to my room"

Shaking her head Steph slipped her hand into Bobby's large one and allowed him to guide her back down to his room. As he opened the door he went inside and turned around to see Steph still standing at the threshold. Looking her over before going back to get her he saw a scared woman that didn't seem to know what to do.

"I can't help you if you don't come in" he told her

"Sorry"

"Ok Steph what's going on? I know you're not alive at five in the morning" he asked her as she sat down in his "thinking chair"

"Oh Bobby" she said as tears fell down her cheeks again

"Steph what is it?" he asked coming over to kneel down in front of the woman he had grown to love

"Tell me what's wrong so I can help you" he said stroking her cheek and then taking her hands that rested on her thighs

"I think I'm pregnant"

"Oh… OHHH" Bobby's eyes widened in surprise

"I don't know what to do"

"Shhhhh ok, ok don't cry" Bobby told her as he brought her to lay her head on his shoulder

Bobby wondered to himself how he could help Stephanie in her situation. He was only a trained Army medic that knew the basics of closing wounds and administering pain meds, women stuff was a whole new field and way out of his league.

"Step him willing to help you but I really think you should call one of those OB/ GYN's. I'm just a medic who can stitch you up if you're shot or control your pain" he told her

"No"

"No?" he asked confused

"Everyone would know then. You're the safe bet. Please will you help me?"

"Ok Steph, i'll have to do some research on thins since this is all new to me but after I'm off shift I'll give you a full exam. Ok?" he asked

"Ok"

Stephanie hugged Bobby tightly and thanked him for agreeing to help her. He hugged her back and promised to get with her later that day. As she dried her eyes and walked over to the door she turned back and looked at Bobby.

"This is only between us for now"

"Got it" he told her

Giving him a weak smile, Steph closed the door behind her and quietly slipped back into Lester's room


	3. Chapter 3

Shutting and locking the door, Stephanie stiffed a shriek as a pair of warm arms came around her body and pulled her back into a hardened mass.

"Did Bobby help you?" Lester asked as her heart rate slowed down

"Yea, he agreed to help me. He is going to give me a look over after he gets off this afternoon"

"Good. You've mentioned your stomach bothering you for a while now" he told her nuzzling her neck

"It just gets so queasy almost to the point of puking but not there yet"

"I'm sorry you feel so bad. I hate knowing you're in distress" he told her as she turned around in his arms and hugged her

"Its ok I'm sure it's just stress from our situation, sneaking around, holding up the appearance of not being together when sometimes I just want to be able to hug you or kiss you"

"Steph if that's what's making you sick then we'll just come out and not hide anymore. I care too much about you, I'm not going to let this make you sicker" Lester told her pulling back a little to see her face

"NO. Now we discussed this. You have to live here and work with Ranger everyday and even though my feelings have changed, his hasn't. You know he still tries to touch and kiss me but I don't let it happen. If he found out we were together in the Cabin where I was "his " woman even though he had made it quite clear we weren't together he'll go nuts. Every one of you is scared of him. You know what he is capable of. I Care too much for YOU to be killed, hurt, or sent off somewhere"

"God Steph" Lester said backing away from her pacing around his living room

"It won't be forever Les. We just have to be careful right now"

"Steph I love you and want to be with you. I want to be able to come to over to you and kiss you in front of the guys and not have to worry about Ranger too" he said placing his hands on his hips

"I know, but you know the history I have with him"

"Yea I do. Me and all the men had this silent rule to never touch Stephanie she's Rangers. You can look but you better not touch" he said sighing

"And remember what you told me about Ramon coming to you warning you to stay away from me?"

"Yea. I just hate knowing this may be the cause of your problems" he told her

"I'll be ok" she told him as he looked down at his watch

"SHIT, Steph I have to go"

"Ok, I'm gonna lay down for a bit and I'll see you in a little while" she said as he came up to her

"I love you"

"I love you" she smiled as he deeply kissed her

Stephanie walked with Lester over to his door where he brushed his lips over hers before walking out. Locking the door behind her, Steph made her way over to Lester's couch where she sat down and cried. She had been and they both had been so careful at protecting Lester, but if she was in fact pregnant, she wouldn't be able to hide it much longer and once it was out she knew it probably wouldn't be good. Stretching out, Steph rubbed her queasy stomach and cried herself to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Stepping off the elevator on to the central command floor of RangeMan, Stephanie walked over to the desk that Ranger allowed her to use when she came in and would work for him. Placing her purse down next to her on the floor a sick feeling came over her and she gripped her stomach, Bobby who just happened to walk by stopped in his tracks as he looked over and saw Stephanie in her condition.

Lester who was watching monitors excused himself to go to the bathroom and to go and grab a sandwich from the kitchen. As he rounded the corner of some cubicles he saw Bobby was crouched down next to Steph. Watching them a wave of jealousy coursed thru him as he saw Bobby reach up and cup Steph's cheek, Jealousy quickly turned to worry when Stephanie shifted in her seat and he saw that she was crying. Moving as fast as he could Lester made it over to them as Bobby helped her to stand and they were walking out of her cubby.

"Beautiful" he said his voice thick with worry "what's wrong why is she crying?" he asked looking over at Bobby

"It's ok Les" Steph said trying to assure him "it's just my stomach"

"I'm gonna take her up to my room Bro and give her a look over" Bobby told him as they walked passed him

Stephanie looked back over her shoulder to Lester and saw the worry etched on his face. Feeling horrible that while they were in the presence of their fellow co-workers she couldn't reach out to him and sooth his worries. Looking up to Bobby she held onto his massive arm as they walked onto the elevator.

Watching Steph walk off with Brown was the hardest thing for Lester to do. When he saw her crying in her cubicle he wanted to race to her and pull her into his arms. When she told him it was her stomach again, he wanted to place his hand on it and will it away like he did earlier, but he couldn't he and Steph weren't "together" in the eyes of the others and that's why he couldn't run to her, scoop her up, and take her to Bobby's like he wanted too. Standing there everything went silent around him, knowing what this signaled he looked up to see Ranger step off the elevator and go into his office.

"Great just fucking great" Lester said going on into the kitchen with his head filled with worry over Steph and now of Rangers returning

Walking silently down the hall Bobby guided Stephanie down to his apartment, opening his door he allowed her to go in first as he closed and locked the door behind them.

"Steph can you sit and we talk before I exam you?" Bobby asked his mind a jumbled mess with what he needed and wanted to say

"Yea we can talk, but do you have something to drink?"

"Sure I have waters. Would you like a water?" he nervously asked

"Yea waters fine"

Steph watched as the big man got up from her and went into his small kitchen. After a minute he came back with two cold bottles of water. Handing one to her he sat on the edge of his coffee table looking at her.

"What?" she asked seeing his put his bottle of water over to the side and rub his hands down his cargo clad thighs

"Steph I did what I said I would do and I'm willing to help but…"

"But what?" she asked beginning to panic

"I really think you should get yourself into one of those OB/GYN's. They know about this stuff and can see you undressed and touch you in places I never have"

"Bobby if I go to and OB/GYN everyone will know and I don't want it to come out yet" she told him

"It's just…."

"Just what? The touching me thing?" she asked watching him as he stood up and turned his back to her

"That and I have…"

"Have what….. Bobby?" Stephanie asked walking over to him and laying a hand on his back

"God I can't believe I'm going to tell you this, but I have feelings for you. To be honest with you we all do. It's not like I can't get a woman to be with me, Steph we all can get laid but you're different. Those other girls don't stick around because of our jobs and how we are but you, your part of us"

Bobby felt Steph with draw her hand from him. Looking over his shoulder he saw Steph walk into his kitchen and place her hands onto his kitchen counters. He thought back to when he and the guys for together for beers and cards, it never failed that the conversation would turn to Stephanie…

"MAN you see Steph in that outfit last night?" someone would say

"Yea I'd give my left nut to be a fugitive and have her come after me"

"So you relationship would stay the same huh Santos she staying repulsed by you?"

"OHHHHH he got you Santos" one would say and high five each other

"Fuck you! You all know if she were with me she would be satisfied"

"What I do know is she can't stand being touched by a fugitive and Ranger would make sure we have no balls if he knew we were talking about Steph"

Bobby snapped out of his thoughts and re-focused on Steph who was still in his kitchen. Walking slowly over to her he placed his butt up against the counter.

"I have no one else.. Please Bobby"

"Your ok with everything I just told you and me going to have to touch you?" he asked

Stephanie looked up to Bobby with her watery blue eyes. Reaching out to her he brought her into his arms, kissing the top of her head, Steph broke down and cried.

"Shhhh lets go into my room" he told her as she stepped back wiping her eyes

"Sorry, I'm just scared"

"Understandable" Bobby told her stopping at a small hall closet

Reaching up onto the top shelf Bobby pulled down a sheet and handed it to Stephanie. Letting her into his second bedroom he told her to undress and use the sheet as a cover up. Locking eyes with Bobby, Steph walked into the room and began to pull her shirt over her head. Waiting out in the hall Bobby sucked in a few deep breaths rubbing his hands down his face. He felt this was gonna end badly and Ranger was gonna kill him for looking at and touching Stephanie.


	5. Chapter 5

When Bobby heard Stephanie call to him that she was ready, he turned the door knob and turned it. Stephanie was sitting there on an examing table just like one you'd see in a real doctor's office. She thought back to the night she and Lester were brought back home from the cabin. They had sat together on this same table when Ranger had made them get checked out. That was the night Bobby saw the scratches on Lester's back and put antibiotic ointment on them.

"Stephanie" she heard Bobby say bringing her out of her thoughts

"Huh?"

"Are you ready?" he asked carrying a small silver tray that had a needle, a vile, a rubber tie thing, alcohol, gauze, tape and a pair of latex gloves

Steph's eyes widened as Bobby sat the tray next to her on the table. Bobby took the gloves off the tray and snapped them onto his hands. Steph watched as he took the rubber tie and took her arm into his hand and placed it around her bicep. She began to shake as he tore a piece of gauze off, put the alcohol on it, and wiped the bend of her arm.

"You ok?" he asked seeing Stephanie had gone pale

"Yea…I….I.. Just… don't like needles"

"You want to go buy one of them drug store pregnancy tests?" he asked her

"No. Just like the Doctor everyone would see me and know if I bought one unless you…"

"NO! I will not go and buy a pregnancy test" Bobby said cutting her off

"All right let's do this then"

With a nod of his head, Bobby swiped the gauze over the vile and readied the needle. As he approached, Stephanie turned her head and closed her eyes. Bobby placed a finger to the bend of her arm and felt for a good vein, once he was satisfied he'd found one he placed his hand on her elbow and brought the needle to her arm.

"OK gonna poke" he said as he popped the needle into Steph's arm

When the needle went in Steph jumped and sucked in a huge breath. Bobby pulled the plunger, undid the rubber tie, and the needle filled with her dark rich blood.

"You still with me Steph?" Bobby asked feeling her sway a little

"Yea"

"I'm almost done. Hold on for me" he said as he sucked the last of the blood into the needle

"OK you are done with the blood"

Bobby took the needle out of Steph's arm and placed more gauze and a piece of tape over it to keep the small wound from bleeding everywhere. He grabbed the vile and plunged the needle into it and began filling it with Steph's blood. When he was writing the info on the vile he heard a sound coming from Stephanie's way.

"Steph you ok?" he asked seeing her swipe at her cheek

"Yea"

Bobby placed the vile of blood into a padded envelope and placed it on the desk he had over on the far wall. He explained to Stephanie that he had a friend in a lab that would run the test for him and send the results back when it was completed.

"It will be all confidential right?" she asked "Ranger, Lester, or Tank won't get it and read it?"

"No steph it will come addressed to me and I will be the only one to see it"

"Ok" she said giving him a weak smile

"Steph now I need to ask you a few questions and then ill examine you ok?" Bobby asked getting a folder out and a pen

"Yea"

"Do you have a reason to believe that you are in fact pregnant?" he asked

"If you mean have I had unprotected sex, then yes I have"

"Yes. I'm sorry Stephanie" Bobby told her knowing this had to be very hard for her

"It's ok"

"Are you late?" he asked grimacing not wanting to hear about periods

"Yes"

"When was your last cycle?" Bobby asked her

"Two months ago and I'm currently looking for this one"

Bobby nodded his head and wrote down everything Steph told him on the paper in the file he had created on her. Closing the folder he sat it on his desk and slowly walked over to Steph. Sliding his hand onto her face he locked eyes with her.

"Any fainting?" he asked looking into her eyes

"No but will I? If I am?"

"No sure but I read some women do" he told her

"Any breast tenderness, fullness?" he asked sliding the sheet open to reveal her bra clad chest

"Yes they feel different" she said as Bobby placed his hands on each side of her breasts to gauge her reaction

"Does that hurt?"

"A little" Steph told him

Bobby hands fell to her sides. He told her he needed her to lie back on the table so he could finish his exam. Laying back Bobby opened the sheet more and ran his hands over her stomach, trying to feel for anything hard or out of the ordinary.

"You nauseous and throw up?" he asked

"Just nauseated so far but that feeling is getting stronger and stronger"

"Ok Steph you can get up now, I'm finished" Bobby said snapping the gloves off

Without thinking about it being Bobby, Steph hopped off the table and let the sheet fall from her. Bobby tossed the gloves he wore into the trashcan and turned around to see Stephanie standing there in only her underwear. Feeling the heat rise up the back of his neck and onto his face he allowed his professionalism to fall and raked his eyes over her body.

"Damn" He thought "Rangers on lucky son of a bitch"

"Excuse me" Bobby told Stephanie as he excused himself and hurried out the door so she could put her clothes back on

Bobby stalked down the hall and went into his kitchen. He grabbed a beer and chugged half of it in hopes to tame his growing erection. Every guy in RangeMan liked her and he knew if they had her in their place like this in her underwear they'd be affected just like he was.

"Get a damn grip Brown" he chastised himself

"Bobby" a small voice said behind him

"Yea" he said in a strained voice

"I'm sorry about that. I was just into the doctor thing"

"It's ok Steph. That's how it should be actually. I had no right to look at you like that, I'm sorry" he said to her

Stephanie walked up to Bobby and placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at her and saw her hive him a sweet but scared smile.

"Apology accepted and you did warn me that you had feelings for me. Is it really true about the others too?"

Yes Steph we'd all love a chance to be with you, but we know you're committed to Ranger" Bobby said and Steph adverted her yes screaming in her head it was Lester she was with

"Boy I'd love to have the rest of that" Steph said her voice cracking eyeing Bobby's beer bottle

"You going to be ok?"

"I don't know it's all hitting me that I possibly could be pregnant. I want to believe I'm not and it's something else" she said blowing out a long breath

Bobby watched as Stephs resolve crumbled and tears began to slip down her cheeks. Bobby was a strong man, a service man who had been in battle and saw men in pain and he'd never batted an eye. He would give them pain killers if they were worth saving and send them off back to base camp, but when the brunette beside him cried his hard battle weary heart softened and he found himself drawing her into the protectiveness of his arms.

"Shhh Steph please don't cry"

"I don't even know if he wants kids" she said sobbing into Bobby's chest

"I'm sure it will all be ok, are you gonna tell Ranger?"

"I guess I will eventually, but not right now" she said pulling back wiping her eyes. Her need to tell him was a different reason than what Bobby figured

After going over everything with Bobby and making sure that he'd keep what was truly going on with her to himself, Steph told him she was going on back to work. Walking over to his door, Steph stopped, turned around, and walked back up to Bobby.

"Bobby thank you for everything you have done for me. You're a great friend"

"Anytime Steph and your welcome. He said right before steph leaned up on her feet and gave him a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth

When Steph pulled back she saw Bobby had gone red. She smiled at him and went back over to his door to leave, as she turned the door handle Bobby's phone went off and a second later so did hers.

"Meeting in Ranger's?" she asked him

"Yep"

"Whelp lets go" steph said as Bobby followed after her


	6. Chapter 6

Stephanie and Bobby walked up together to Rangers open office door. When he saw them he waved them in to join the others who were already there. Lester looking up from the file Ranger had given him watched as Stephanie walked into the office. He wanted so badly to go over and cup her face in his hands and ask her if she was ok, instead he gave her a good look over as she stood next to Hal.

To Lester she seemed to be feeling better, she had walked in on her own strength which was way better that when she left clinging to Bobby. The only thing that he could see that could be wrong was her eyes were red rimmed and puffy, she had been crying.

"Babe please have a seat" Ranger told her and Lester bit the inside of his jaw at Ranger still calling "his" Steph Babe

As Steph walked over to take a seat in front of Ranger's desk she glanced up and met eyes with Lester, he gave her a small wink and she gave him back a small smile.

"Stephanie" Ranger said giving her and Bobby a folder that was identical to the ones the others had "I need your help"

"Ok what is it?"

"The file you have in your hands is a man that Boston has been after for a long time. While I was there they got a tip that he had been spotted in the Trenton area" Ranger said sitting back in his big leather chair

Steph opened the file and an oily looking man that reminded her of Vinnie looked back at her. She gave a snort thinking what her cousin was known for and how this guy looked like he'd enjoy almost the same thing. Hearing her, Ranger cut his eyes to her.

"Steph"

"Sorry but this guy reminds me of slimy weasely Vinnie" she said

"Good, cause this guy is slime. His name is Jennea (Jen Nay)"

"I know that name. Where have I heard that name from?" Steph said tapping her teeth with her nail thinking

"He's a famous photographer"

"Ohhh yeaa that's it. He's photographed all the famous models and he's here in Trenton? Why would he be here? Or Boston for that matter? Why not California or New York?" she asked furrowing her brows together

"Because he just doesn't take pictures of the famous"

Stephanie looked up from her file and looked around the room, all then men had their heads buried in their files so Steph took the picture out of hers and began to read the sheets underneath. When she read his rap sheet she felt queasy but didn't know if it was from Jennea or her possible pregnancy.

"Human trafficking?" she asked

"Yea Babe"

"I don't think I've ever been on anything that said that before" she told him

"Jennea is really a bad guy. He's good at what he does and only uses the best and if he finds one flaw on a woman it's over and she's released, which in this case is a life saver"

"Jennea trolls the net, chats up pretty young girls and women who are aspiring to be the next Supermodel like the ones in the legit magazines you buy. He sets up a shoot with them and once he selects the top of how many ever he shot he has those girls come back to meet the "people of the industry" BUT they're not reps at all they pay a lot of money to Jennea to get girls out of the state and country to be sex slaves"

"And this scum is in Trenton?" Tank asked

Ranger began typing on his computer and then swiveled his monitor around. There was an ad posted on a site that people go to make it as a model. Big shoot for aspiring Models of Trenton; this could be your big break.

"Ok so you all know he's here and will track him to a club or something and I'll lure him out"

"Not exactly" Ranger said shutting the site down and then steepling his fingers together

"Why not? I get all sluttied up, identify the target, once hook, and Bam! Takedown time" she said looking around the room

"Steph he's slipped by us each time we get close. It's like he has this sixth scence or something. Boston has stormed a ware house he uses but when they get in he's cleared out. I need you to go in"

"Go in?" she asked confused

"He means you become a woman looking to make it big" Lester spoke from his position on the wall

"Me a model?"

"Yea Babe. I have it all set up. You go get a few pics done, be pampered for the day, and we post them on the site. Then you go to the shoot and when he contacts you for a call back we all will be outside all wired up listening and then we'll take him down" Ranger told her

"Uhhh Steph I don't think you should do this" Bobby spoke up and everyone sucked in a breath

"Brown" Ranger said

"Bobby" Steph said with pleading eyes and tight lips

"Explain Brown"

"Sir Steph has a condition" he said and Steph felt like the air was being kicked out of her lungs. She looked up and found Lester standing stiff as a board staring a hole thru her.

"Bobby I'm fine you checked me over and I'm fine"

"You examined her?" Ranger asked Bobby and looked at Steph

"Yes I did. I helped her to my room after another attack and looked her over"

"Attacks? Stephanie explain" Ranger demanded

"It's nothing. For a while now I've been getting sick to my stomach. Bobby saw me clutching my stomach today at work and took me to his room to be looked at" she said

"And?"

"It's nothing, acid reflux" she said and Bobby's eyes widened

"Brown?"

"Yes sir. I just don't think it's best to use Stephanie in this mission. I don't know nor does she when a stomach attack will occur"

"She's been complaining for a while about her stomach" Lester said

"GUYS!"Stephanie cried not believing that Bobby was doing this and That Lester stepped out risking outing them "Ranger I'm fine, really"

"Everyone Dismissed" Ranger said and Steph grabbed her things and walked to the door with the guys

"Babe you stay"


	7. Chapter 7

Stephanie leaned back against the wall with her arms crossed around her, watching as each man passed to go out of Rangers office. When Bobby passed, he stopped and placed a hand on her shoulder, leaning down he whispered I'm sorry and walked out the door.

"Yea me too" Steph said laying her head back against the wall closing her eyes

"Don't be too hard on Bobby Beautiful, he just cares about you"

"And you?" Steph said to Lester opening her eyes, looking at him, challenging him on his feelings for her

"You know me. Hopelessly in love" Lester winked walking out the door

"Hal close the door" Ranger ordered him as he was the last man out

When the door to Ranger's office clicked closed, he came around his desk and perched himself on the corner, intently staring at Stephanie. Feeling his eyes on her she began to fidget.

"Does he suspect something? Why is he staring at me like that? God say something" she shouted in her head at him

"Babe" he said as if he had heard her "come sit down"

Steph pushed off the wall and timidly walked over to Ranger. Slowly moving in front of him she took a chair that sat next to where he was perched on his desk corner. Settling herself in to the chair, she looked up meeting Ranger's dark brown eyes.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing" she said slowly

"Babe two of my men interrupted my meeting to protest the usage of you, and come to find out you let yourself be seen by the RangeMan medic"

"Bobby's just being a friend. He saw me in distress so he told me to come up to his apartment and he'd try to help me" she told him praying to God he'd believe her

"Brown said he helped you to his place"

"He helped me up from my chair and placed an arm around me as we walked to the elevator"

"This is a reoccurring thing?" Ranger asked

"For a few weeks I've been just getting this yucky sickly feeling. It doesn't happen every day. Lester only said what he said because when I've gone out with him while doing things, I've mentioned how my stomach hurts. Ever since we were stuck in the cabin and we got to know each other better, I talk a lot to Les"

"Babe I really could use you for this Jennea thing, but if you're getting these attacks…" he was telling her

"Ranger I'm fine, really. Bobby thinks it's probably just acid reflux. You always told me the stuff I eat would kill me. I guess me getting older my stomach can't handle my diet anymore"

Ranger went silent and Stephanie knew he was taking in everything she had said and analyzing. She thought she probably stunned him by admitting to him that what she ate was now bad for her because he had always told her that. Steph knew what she had fed him wasn't all crap, she knew if she was in fact pregnant with Lester's baby she would have to start eating better for the baby.

"You can go inside with Jennea?" he finally asked breaking their silence

"Yes"

Ranger eyed her.

"Yes I can. Ranger I'm fine. Once I start on some acid reducing stuff ill be good as new"

"Your pictures are on Saturday. They will have everything, you just show up" he told her

"Great. Now if you'll excuse me I need to get something to eat and do some work" Steph told him getting up and walking over to the door

"Babe"

Steph turned to see what he had wanted. Ranger was in front of her in two long steps and pinned her up against the door. Stephanie closed her eyes as he brought a hand up and stroked the backs of his fingers across her cheek; opening them she saw his eyes had gone dark.

"I thought of you while I was a way"

"Ranger"

"What Babe?" he asked

"Don't"

"I see your still keeping me at arm's length" he said

"I gave you a chance but you wouldn't take it"

Ranger gave a small smile and suddenly crashed his mouth to Stephanie's in a hard demanding kiss. After the shock of it Steph pushed him off and went out the door. Lester hearing a sound looked up as Rangers door opened. He watched as Stephanie stalked out of his office and rushed off to go into the bathroom. Looking back at Ranger he saw him lean back on his office door frame, cross his arms across his chest, and smile slightly with a predatory gleam in his eyes as he watched Stephanie walk away from him. Lester's heart rate and blood pressure went up as he knew he probably tried to or did touch her and by the way Steph's demeanor just was he was most certain of it.

Tapping his pen against some paper work, Lester kept thinking about what could have gone on in Rangers office. Finally having enough he threw his pen across his desk and went over to the bathroom. Carefully opening the door he found Steph standing with her butt up against one of the sinks with a roll of toilet paper by her. Instead of holding her and kissing her like he wanted, seeing her wipe at her eyes made his anger come out instead.

"He touched you didn't he?" Lester asked causing her to jump

"Lester"

"What did he do?" he asked wanting to know

"Nothing"

"Then why are you crying?" he asked and Steph looked off not saying anything

"DAMMIT STEPH WHAT DID RANGER DO?"

"Shhhhh" Steph waved her hands telling Lester that he could be heard

"Steph"

"He kissed me" she said looking down at her shoes

"This shit stops now"

"NO. Lester" Steph panicked launching herself after him grabbing his arm

"Steph you're my girl. He has no business to touch you or kiss you"

"I know that but Ranger Doesn't" She said looking up at him

"Then ill fill him in. He's done it before and I've let it go but I'm tired and it stops"

"No" she said pulling on his arm again "Les we agreed about this"

"Steph you gave him a chance and he didn't do anything about it. I love you and it's not fair to me to have another man's hands on his girlfriend and it's not fair to you. Unless"

"Unless what?" she asked confused and then what he meant hit her

"I can't believe you'd think that about me. After all I go thru just to be with you. The lying, the sneaking around just so your ass is safe"

"Well the Cop and Ranger" Lester said and Steph went still narrowing her eyes at him

"That was totally different"

"Yea"

"You know what I just can't deal with this right now. My day started out great by being pleasured in your arms, but it sure has gone to hell. I can't do this I'm done" Steph stated walking passed Lester to the door

"Steph wait, I didn't mean to say…"

"Yes you did or you wouldn't have said it" she cut him off

"Steph please I'm just pissed"

"I can't. I've got so much on my right now I can't deal with this" she said as she walked out of the bathroom

Lester came out of the bathroom and watched as Stephanie grabbed her purse and keys out of her cubicle. Walking over to where Tank stood with Cal, she told him she was going home. Lester along with Tank and Cal watched as Steph staled off and disappeared behind the stairway door

"FUCK" Lester said placing his hands on his hips as the door closed


	8. Chapter 8

After a shift from hell where nothing got done, because all he could do was replay what happened in the bathroom over and over in his mind, a very sweaty Lester walked into his apartment.

Lester had spent the last two hours punishing his body in the gym in hopes of finding some type of release. As long as he did it, punching a bag, kicking a bag, lifting as much weights as he could manage it had worked, but once he stopped the look on Steph's face when he suggested that she liked Rangers advances crept back in causing him to feel like shit all over again.

Yanking his shirt over his head he tossed it into the corner of his room. Plopping down on his bed he thought of her. Grabbing his cell phone out of his shorts pocket and wincing as the soreness was settling in from his workout, Lester rolled the phone over and over in his hand wondering if he should call her again.

"I can't believe you think that of me" her words echoed in his mind

"The cop and Ranger"

There, right there was the moment he had hurt her. The pain and hurt he saw in her eyes after he said it was awful. When she moved to walk out he realized he was no better that Joe or Ranger and that killed him, he wanted to be the one man to love her and treat her right. Not like Joe or Ranger who passed her back and forth and put conditions on their love.

"I'm done" he heard her say which catapulted him into action

"Steph wait I dint mean to say"

"Yes you did"

Lester really hadn't meant to say what he did. He was pissed off because when Steph walked out of Rangers office the smug look he saw his boss have as he watched Stephanie walk away ate at him. There was a history between Steph and Ranger and everyone knew of the sexual desire and tensions that were there. Seeing a picture run thru his head of what might have went on in his office and then Steph confirming he had kissed her caused him to snap.

Lester needed to talk to her, to explain to her, get her to understand but currently she wasn't speaking to him. He had already called several times and all he had gotten was her machine and voice mail. Calling one more time he lifted the phone to his ear.

"Hey its Steph leave a message"

"Steph please talk to me" he said and heard the clicks as the machine took his message and cut him off

"You're a damn fool" Lester told himself flopping back on his bed catching a whiff of Step's perfume as he laid there

When Stephanie walked up to Tank and told him she was going home it took all she had not to break down in front of him. Oh she wanted to, she felt a white hot burning sensation bearing down on her chest and a lump in her throat, as she walked away on shaky legs she knew that Lester was watching her. When the stairway door clicked behind her and she made it to the 3rd floor landing. Steph finally lost the battle and broke into tears.

"Stupid men" she called out as she dried her eyes and made her way to the garage

She told herself when she opened the garage door to act normal. She took each step carefully so whoever was on the in-house monitors would not suspect anything was wrong with her and alert Ranger. Slipping into her car, she plugged in her key, and drove up the ramp onto the street.

"Uggg what is with men?" she said venting as she drove

"Every one of them. I tell Bobby not to say anything and what does he do? And Lester gets in on it to"

When she said Lester's name her heart pained. She just couldn't believe he would suggest she liked Rangers advances. Yes she was with Joe and let Ranger kiss and touch her but it had all changed ever since she had gotten with Lester.

"He doesn't even know. We agreed we would be together secretly because of Ranger" she said as her cell phone went off, picking it up she saw it was the number she had grown to know was Lester's.

"Nope not ready to talk to you"

As Stephanie pulled into her apartment buildings parking lot she thought about when she and Lester made their agreement to be secret. It was a day or so after she had gotten Binkie to let her into Lester's apartment. That day they spent it in his bed proclaiming their love for each other. Once they had gotten their fill they got to seriously talking about their relationship.

"Even though my feelings have changed for Ranger he will be a part of my life and yours Les" she told him over dinner

"Yea I know"

"You work for him and see him every day. I don't want you to be his target. Rangers a deadly man, we all know that" Stephanie told him

"Beautiful I know what Rangers capable of. I've seen it and I've been a part of some of it" he told her and her eyes quickly darted up and locked onto his

"I don't want you hurt or killed Les"

"Hurt definitely, killed maybe but I don't think so" he kinda laughed

"Lester I'm serious"

"Me too" he said deathly calm

Lester watched as Stephanie cut her sausages in her pasta into little pieces and push them around her plate with her fork. For Stephanie not to eat, Lester knew something was really bothering her because everyone knew Steph loved to eat.

"Steph come here" Lester told her as he scooted over on his bench seat

Wrapping an arm around her he brought her into his side. Steph laid her head over and sighed. Hearing this Lester picked her chin up and looked down into her blue eyes.

"You really don't have to worry about me I'm just as lethal as Ranger" he told her

"I guess I just have him down as the best in my book and forget that all you guys are good"

"Yes we are all trained well and each has an ability we do well" Lester told her stroking her cheek

"Les I am worried"

"I know you are. What can I do to ease that worry?" he asked

"We keep our relationship hidden just for a while till Ranger gets the picture I've changed"

"Steph that's the only time we see each other is at RangeMan. How will we get to be together? We slept together because we were in a different state, snowed in for days, away from anyone that mattered"

"I know and it'll be hard but I don't want you hurt, we'll just have to be creative" she said looking into his eyes

"How long do we have to stay hidden?"

"Until Ranger really sees I'm not going to be his plaything. I went in his office and gave him a chance but he didn't take it" she told him

"This will help you feel better?"

"Yes. I'm trying to keep you safe and Ranger from going off" She told him

"All right Steph, ill go along with this because I care for you and don't want you to worry so much, even though I can take care of myself"

"Thank you and I know you can but this has never involved me before. Do you understand?" she asked

"Yea I do" Lester said leaning down and claiming her lips in a sweet soft kiss

"And FYI Steph, you may keep Ranger at bay for a few weeks but he likes you and he'll return to flirt, kiss, and touch you and seeing that will kill me"

As Stephanie got out of her car, she thought how right Lester was about Ranger. After she walked away from him the day that she told him she loved him and wanted a relationship they avoided each other for a while, but slowly Ranger began to once again steal glances, kisses, and touches. Steph now being deeply involved with Lester at this time would counter Rangers moves and walk away. When they would happen she would go and tell Lester so there would be no secrets between them and so she could just be hugged and touched by him to get strength.

"I would frikken tell you about him" Steph said to Lester as if he was there "Don't you think if I liked his advances I wouldn't tell you?"

Steph shoved her key into her apartment door and walked in. As she tossed her keys on her table her cell rang. Looking at the number she hit end and walked towards her bedroom. When she got thru the door her home phone rang out, rolling her eyes at it her machine came on.

"Hey its Steph leave a message"

"Baby please pick up" she heard Lester's voice and tears came immediately to her eyes

Not being able to listen to his voice she ran to her machine and hit the stop button silencing him. Going back into her room she went into the bathroom, stripped off all her clothes, and ran a hot bath. While she soaked a few more calls came in, being able to hear them because she had left her doors open she sighed closing her eyes as they played.

"Steph its Bobby, I think you're probably pissed at me. I came to talk to you but Tank said that you already went home for the day. I hope you're all right. Anyway ill talk to you tomorrow"

"Miss. Plum if you call 1-800-555-7272 we'd be happy to approve you a loan on a mortgage"

"Stupid telemarketers" she huffed as she settled in her bath

Getting out of her bath about an hour or so later, Steph wrapped a towel around her and lay curled up on her bed. Laying there her phone rang again. Closing her eyes tears slipped down her face as Lester's voice was again heard.

"Please Beautiful. Steph I love you" he said and the machine cut off

Now sobbing Steph cried for everything that had gone on today. She cried for being with Lester this morning, going to Bobby's and telling him she thought she was pregnant, the possibility of being pregnant, the meeting, Ranger, Lester and her fight, and now her alone crying in her bed. Crying for a while more she closed her eyes, her mind and body giving in to their exhaustion.


	9. Chapter 9

Lester was jolted awake by his alarm clock. Looking over at the thing that sat on his bedside table he threw a hand out slapping it into silence. Sitting up he groaned feeling like he had been hit by a sledgehammer. Stripping off his gym shorts from yesterday he forced himself into the bathroom for a shower.

Making his way onto five, Lester prayed that someone had made the coffee extra strong this morning. Grabbing a mug down from the cabinet where Ella kept them, Lester filled it with the hot bitter liquid.

"Damn Santos, you're not to go out and party all night on a work night" Hal said coming in for breakfast

"Huh?"

"You look like shit man" he told him

"Thanks and I didn't go out I was in this building the whole night"

"Geeze then don't get to close I don't wanna get what you've got" he said standing back

"Don't worry you can't catch what I got bro"

Lester grabbed a raisin bagel and walked out of the kitchen. Walking down the hall thru the maze of cubicles, Lester stopped at Stephanie's. Standing in her doorway he pictured her sitting behind her desk, chewing on the end of her pen as she read over a search. He would somehow get her attention and she would look up and smile at seeing him.

"Don't worry Les your girlfriend'll be here in a few hours" Ram said breaking him out of his daydreams

"She's not my girlfriend" he said and then wished he hadn't said it because it hurt to refer to her as not

"Aint that the truth man. Sexy Stephanie would be so much better off if she was with me. I'd be so good to her mmmmmm ummmmm"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP WITH THAT SHIT" Lester demanded

"Hey man what's your problem?"

"You DON'T talk about her like that" he told him

"Since when? And if memory serves me right you, Lester Santos are the worst one of us when it comes to flirting with and talking about Stephanie"

"Just shut the fuck up ok?"

Lester walked out of Steph's cubby leaving a bewildered Ram standing there watching Lester's back as he walked away. Shaking his head, Ram walked up to the kitchen for his own coffee and breakfast.

A few hours and three coffees later, Lester tossed his search he was reading on top of his desk and went to the bathroom. Walking in all he could see was Stephanie standing there blotting at her eyes with toilet paper after her encounter with Ranger. Going over to the urinal and quickly relieving himself, Lester walked as fast as he could out before more of that dreadful afternoon came back to haunt him.

"Heyyy Bombshell. Whoa you feeling ok?" Lester heard Hal say from the monitors as he opened the door of the bathroom

"Didn't sleep well need coffee"

"Hope you're not getting what ole Les is coming down with, he looked like shit" Hal told her and Steph smirked

"Good" she though as she excused herself and walked towards the kitchen

Slipping back into the bathroom, Lester cracked the door open just a little so he could watch as Stephanie walked by. Getting behind her he watched the saw of her hips and smelled the perfume she wore as he walked into the kitchen and grab a cup for coffee. As she poured the hot coffee into her cup Steph opened the refrigerator door and retrieved the milk. When she poured a little into her coffee, Lester studied her; she was all in RangeMan black, her slim figure just calling to him to wrap his arms around. As he quietly walked up behind her to just that, Ranger walked by with Bobby and called for Lester to join them. Moving a little bit away from her, Stephanie turned and caught Lester behind her when she heard Ranger yell for him.

"Hey Steph" Bobby said as she watched Lester give her a pained look as he walked off with ranger

"Bobby"

"I called you yesterday. Did you get my message" he asked coming to stand next to her

"Yes"

"Steph I know you're pissed at me, you haven't spoken to me since yesterday's meeting and right now your body language is screaming at me to back off"

"We had a deal" she whispered looking around for RangeMen

"And I kept it" he said back

"No you didn't you opened your big mouth " Steph has a condition"

"I never said pregnancy was the condition" he said earning a glare

"Steph this guy drugs the girls he picks and that how they get them out of the city. This shit is big time shit. Your pregnant you can't risk yourself or the baby, Ranger would certainly blow and we'd both be dead"

"We don't know if I am or not"

"Steph"

"We don't" she said looking out onto the floor

"Ok we "technically" don't, but by the end of the day or early tomorrow we will and as your Doctor I highly suggest you don't go after this slime ball Jennea"

Stephanie took her cup of coffee and walked out of the kitchen leaving Bobby behind. Cal came in just as Bobby huffed out his displeasure, kicking the bottom door of the sink.

"What's up there Brown?" he asked him quirking an eyebrow at the company medic

"Women"

"Nuff said"


	10. Chapter 10

Stephanie walked down the same route that Lester had taken earlier to her cubby, Sitting her coffee down on the end of her desk, Steph sat down in her rolly chair and pulled herself up to her desk. Flipping her computer on she watched as the screen came on and the desktop flicked on its icons.

"All of them in a matter of minutes" she thought seeing the three men that had tormented her

She knew that she would see all of them at some point today but was expecting all of them at the first few minutes of her being there; it was just a bit much. With her mind reeling and her heart beating faster than normal, Steph began to think of what Lester was doing or going to do when he was behind her and just how long had he been there?

"STEPH" she heard and snapped her head up

"WHAT?" she angrily asked

"Babe"

When Steph sat back and took a look around her she saw Ranger and Lester standing in her cubicle staring at her. Lester had this fearful look on his face because she had just yelled at Ranger and Ranger had this I'm not amused look on his face. Sighing Steph apologized and told the two men she was off in lala land and didn't know they were there.

"Santos has an appointment and I thought you could go along" Ranger told her and Steph flicked her eyes over and up to Lester who leaned against her cubicle door

"I can't" she told him intently keeping her eyes fixed on Les to let him know she wasn't wanting to be around him

"Why not?"

"Just planned on staying in and doing all the searches everyone's requested" Stephanie told him

"Santos leaves in ten be ready"

Sighing Stephanie pushed back in her chair and stood up. Lester watched as she bent over and picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. When she stepped around her desk, Lester stepped in front of her blocking her path. Placing a hand on her shoulder he spoke.

"Steph"

Taking his hand off her shoulder Stephanie moved around him and walked to the elevator. Watching as she stepped on, Lester closed his eyes letting out a long breath. He knew it was going to take some serious work to get Steph to talk to him again. Pocketing the keys and grabbing his cell, Lester followed behind Steph to the garage. Beeping a car unlocked, Steph opened the door without a word and climbed in. Sliding into the driver's seat, Lester pulled out of RangeMan and took off down the street.

"This is just a regular ole meet and greet appointment. We meet the homeowner and take notes on their needs, sign contracts, and bring our info back to RangeMan where Ranger gets the design going and sends out a man to install the system" Lester told Steph as he stopped at a red light

Lester knew he didn't need to explain the job to her but he was using the job to talk to her. Looking over he saw Steph was pressed as far as she could to her door and was watching the scenery go by. Defeated Lester decided to just bite the bullet.

"Are you ever going to speak to me again?" he asked getting nothing in return

"Steph"

"NO" she yelled back at him as he pulled up front of a modest looking home

"We're not done" He told her letting out a strained breath as a nicely dressed woman came out onto the porch and waited on them

Lester and Stephanie walked around with the woman of the home, talking and taking notes on what kind of system she would like to have installed. She explained to them that her Husband had passed recently and she took care of her grandkids while their mother worked and that's why she wanted a security system put in.

"Well we're the best in the business. No one can beat RangeMan ma'am" Lester told her as she had them over to her kitchen table

Steph nibbled on the cookies that the woman had offered them as Lester went over the contract with her. On her third cookie, Stephs stomach began to feel sick; laying the half eaten cookie down on her napkin she rubbed her stomach listening to Lester talk to distract herself from the queasiness.

"MOM?" Lester and Steph heard as Lester was having the woman sign the RangeMan contract

"Jenny" the woman said smiling as a beautiful blond walked in wearing scrubs with two small kids running to homeowner's side

"Oh I'm sorry mom, I didn't realize you had company" Jenny said eyeing Lester

"Sweetie this is the people from that security company I told you about. I hired them to put a system in"

"Ohhh right" she said never looking away from Lester

"Ma'am ill get all this info we collected from you back to Rangeman. They'll come up with a system and call you for a time to install" Lester told her as he stood up from the table

"Great thank you for coming out"

"Our pleasure. Thank you for choosing RangeMan securities" Steph listened as Lester tore a copy of the contract off and handed it to the lady

"Ill walk you out. MOM see you tonight, bye mommy's babies" Jenny said kissing her two kids and sliding up to Lester's side

Stephanie rolled her eyes and gagged, not because of her "condition" but from the sickly sweet flirting Jenny was so obviously doing at Lester. Asking him if his job was dangerous and ooing and awing at his every word. Climbing back into the SUV, Steph waited on Lester to get in, and waited, and waited. When he finally got in Steph saw a set of pink lips on his cheek and a slip of paper in his hand.

"That son of a bitch"Steph thought as she looked him over

Even though she was mad at him that didn't give Lester the right to go and allow another female to kiss him and get her phone number. Putting all the stuff and the contract together, Lester sat everything he had on the console of the truck. Hearing a low growl coming from his right, Lester cut his eyes towards Steph who angrily humphed and snatched the number up and tore it into a hundred pieces.

"OOkayy" Lester smirked as Steph threw the paper pieces out her window

As Lester switched the truck on a pulled away from the curb he thought the jealousy shown by Steph just now, showed him that she at least still cared about him. Pulling up to a red light Lester punched a button on the dash and Hal's voice filled the truck.

"Command"

"Its Santos let Ranger know I got that appointment done and everything. Also let him know Steph and I will be offline for a bit, I'm going for lunch" He told him

"10-4"

Steph was killing him. He hadn't gotten to hold her since early yesterday morning and he was dieing to touch her. He knew she was still pissed but he had a strong desire for her. Reaching across the console, Lester placed his hand over one of hers. Looking down at his hand on hers, Steph felt herself start to tear up. Not wanting to cry in front of Lester, Steph jerked her hand away.

"Steph" he said but she still wouldn't talk to him

Getting frustrated at their lack of communication, Lester pulled into a park and parked his truck. Looking over at Steph he sighed, unbuckled his seat belt, pulled up the center console, and slid over to her.

"I know what I'm about to do will probably get me punched but what the hell" Lester said grabbing Steph's face and crashing his lips to hers.


	11. Chapter 11

To Lester's surprise, Stephanie didn't hit, kick, or push him away when he kissed her. Shockingly with a few prods with his mouth, Steph wound her arms around his neck and kissed him back. The kiss only lasted a minute when Steph broke away and Lester saw the tears that had slid down her cheeks.

"Baby please don't cry" Lester said as he reached out to her

"Don't"

"Steph I wanna talk please talked to me?" he asked her watching as she wiped her tears with the backs of her hands

"No"

Stephanie felt betrayed by her own mind and body. How could she allow herself after everything that went down between them, kiss him as none of that mattered? She wanted him to know she was hurt by his comments. She wanted him to suffer by not being able to touch or kiss her, but once he placed his lips on hers her body betrayed her by sending a hot rush through her body and her mind remembered how good a kisser Lester was and her mind also told her to kiss any thoughts of Jenny out of his head.

The mind is a funny thing. As soon as it tells you that it's ok to want to kiss him and it's ok to need the kiss it switches and reminds you HEY your pissed because he hurt you. As Lester's tongue slid against hers tears fell and she pulled back. Wanting to be strong and not cry in front of him she denied his requests and swiped at her eyes. Seeing the pain sweep across his face was almost her undoing and Steph opened her door and got out.

Stephanie walked towards the back of the truck, the warm spring air feeling nice as she walked into the opening of the park. At this time of the day the park was mostly empty due to kids being in school and parents at work. The only ones that were in the park were some elderly and stay at home moms pushing their kids in strollers along the trails. Spotting a wooden log fence, Steph planted her ass up against it and crossed her arms around herself in a self protective stance. A few minutes later she watched as Lester slammed the trucks driver's side door and staled towards her.

"OK Stephanie I've asked nice a few time to talk and you ignore me. Now before your eyes roll in the back of your head, I get that your pissed and that I hurt you, but I've asked to talk and you won't so now you're gonna just listen"

"Excuse me? I don't have to listen to anything you have to say. YOU stalked into the bathroom, YOU went on a rampage, YOU accused me of liking Rangers advances when it's YOU I come to and tell. If I liked Rangers advances and come on's do you think I'd tell you?" Steph raged

Stephanie didn't know what was going on with herself; she was switching from one emotion to the next. She was pissed, then jealous, then in want, now she was just downright angry. For a little she wanted to take her fists and just pound his chest till she felt better.

"YOU know Ranger doesn't know we are together so he's gonna act normally towards me and your right he likes me but we knew that all ready. I warned you in that cabin about my history with men and you said you were willing and stepped in on your own free will. You made me love you and then you hurt me" she spat at him

Lester sighed, he was gonna be heard. In a move that Ranger had done with her so many times, Lester stepped into her space face to face, chest to chest, and feet to feet. Placing his hands on each side of her hips he pinned her to the wooden fence.

"You done?" he asked her eyes went dark blue

"What" she said thru gritted teeth

"If you'd stop and listen you'd see that I'm trying to apologize for what I said yesterday in the bathroom. What I said never ever has crossed my mind before, I was just very frustrated and I took it out on you for that I'm sorry. You were sick and I saw Bobby helping you. He shouldn't be, it should've been me, and when you came back in the meeting I wanted to run to you so bad and hold you and ask if you were ok, but I can't. Then when Ranger asked you to stay and then I saw you leave his office the way you did with him standing there so smug, I just snapped. I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry. I love you"

Silence passed between them for what seemed like forever. Lester stared at Steph and Steph stared back at him. Finally Stephanie's arms dropped from around her chest and hung loosely over Lester's arms. Seeing her open herself up and relax her stance, Lester leaned closer to her where his lips almost touched hers.

"I love you Steph"

"I love you to Les" she said as her eyes fluttered closed and his mouth took hers

As Lester moved his lips over Steph's he wound his arms around her small waist, pulling her closer to him. He slid his tongue out seeking entrance; Steph responded by opening her mouth and darting her tongue out to touch the tip of Lester's. Siding it in to deepen the kiss, Lester tasted her. Moments into their heated kiss, Lester felt Stephanie place her hands on his chest and felt her body move against his. As the kiss progressed he felt a few nudges from her, it wasn't until she violently tore her mouth away that he realized her nudges and moving was her trying to get away from him.

"Steph?" he asked as she gagged

"Steph are you ok?"

Steph gagged again and felt herself grow hot and began to sweat. She tried to make Lester back up but he did the opposite and held tighter to her waist. Clamping her hand over her mouth, she bent over and puked all down her and Lester's pants, their shoes, and a small part of the ground.

"WHOA SHIT" Lester exclaimed jumping back but was a little too late

"Shit Steph"

"God I'm so sorry, it hit me and I couldn't stop it" she said watching him shake the his legs and shoes

"Ahhhh man"

"I tried to get you to move" she said

"Man this stuff is vile. What the hell is it?" he asked looking at the chunks of smelly brown stuff oozing down their clothes

"Cookies" she told him thinking back to eating them at their home appointment

"No shit"

Taking blankets out of the back of the truck, Lester wrapped one around himself and the other around Stephanie. Getting back into the truck Lester peeled out of the park.

"You ok?" he asked Steph

"Huh?"

"Are you ok now?" he asked making his way to RangeMan

"Ohh uh yea" she responded panicking inside

Steph knew that a lot of pregnant women get sick and throw up a lot. She had been experiencing a queasy tummy but no throwing up, well until now. Everything was looking more and more to being pregnant even without the test. Steph sat back in her seat, closed her eyes, and thought OH SHIT!


	12. Chapter 12

Sliding his wet coffee colored hands over her equally wet soapy stomach, Steph rolled her eyes to the back of her head as her head fell back onto Lester's shoulder.

"We shouldn't be doing this but mmmmm" she told him as the water beat down on them washing away the earlier incident

"Oh yes we should" he told her kissing her neck

"We're going to get in so much trouble. Hal saw us going into your room"

"The look on his face when he got a whiff of us tells me he's not gonna mind" Lester told her moving his hand lower

"But Rangers around and I'm mad at you"

"Screw Ranger and he's out with Tank and Bobby and no you're not, not anymore"

"Yes I am" she said her voice hitching in her throat as his hand cupped her

"Even when I do this?"

"Ohhhh God" she moaned as his fingers began to work her "yes"

Spinning her around Lester backed her up against the showers wall and looked straight into her sparkling blue eyes. Wrapping her arms around her waist he smashed her body into his, lowering his mouth to hers, Lester hungrily and deeply kissed her.

"At least I puked on you"

"Yea, now hush" Lester told her as he slid his impressive hard length into her

Walking into the lobby after getting back with Tank and Ranger, Bobby walked up to Roy who was manning the RangeMan reception desk. Seeing Bobby, Roy handed him a stack of Letters.

"Everything going ok?" Bobby asked making a little small talk

"Cant complain"

"I hear ya, Reception desk doesn't get much action" Bobby told him

"Which I would complain to Tank about but after rolling my ankle, it's not a bad job right now"

"Want me to take a look at it?"

"Nah, nothing's wrong it's just sore" Roy told him as the phone rang

"All right man, have at it" Bobby told him walking back over to the elevators

As Bobby was resting his large frame against the wall of the elevator, he flipped thru the letters that Roy had given him. Coming to the last letter, Bobby saw his name and address handwritten across the letter, looking at it more carefully he saw the logo for Quill diagnostics stamped in the upper left hand corner. Figuring out what the letter was he slipped a finger over the top ripping it open.

"Bobby I rushed this just like you asked. I hope the results are good for all involved –Mark" Bobby read the yellow post it that his friend had stuck on the letter. Reading the letter Bobby got off on five and went in search of Stephanie.

"Hey have you seen Steph?" he asked Chet as he found her cubby empty

"Nope, haven't seen her for a while"

Taking his phone off his belt he began typing as he walked back to the elevators. Punching four he sent his message.

"Where are you? Xx Bobby"

Lying on the bed in her panties and Bra, Stephanie was currently being kissed to death by her "secret" boyfriend Lester Santos. Giggling as he nipped at a ticklish spot on her neck, she heard her phone beeping on his night table.

"Ok les let me up my phone's beeping"

"Mmmm no, you're busy" he told her as his mouth kissed over the breast that wasn't covered by her bra

"We're supposed to be getting dressed and going back to work"

Beep, Beep

"Les it could be something important"

"This is important" he said running his hand up her thigh

Beep, Beep, RING

"Shittt" Lester swore as his phone now began to ring

The playful sexual mood had been broken, first by Steph's phone and now certainly by his phone ringing. Lester wasn't stupid, he knew unlike Steph's his phone only rang by someone in RangeMan. Growling he slid off the nearly naked woman on his bed and retrieved his phone.

"Yea?"

"Santos" he heard Ranger bark

"Ranger" Steph heard Lester say and a wave of emotions went thru her

"You have that home appointment completed?"

"Yes, I'll be down in ten, Steph spilled stuff on me and I had to shower and change"

"See you in ten" he told him and hung up

"Guess we really have to get dressed now. Rangers back and wanting this morning's appointment file" he told Stephanie who was making her way up his bed retrieving her phone

"Yea" she told him reading her text and typing one back as Lester went around getting things together

"In Les's apt xx SP"

Bobby was in his apartment sitting behind his desk reading over his mail when his phone started beeping letting him know he had a text. Picking it up he read the message and furrowed his brows in confusion. Why was Stephanie two doors down in Santos's apartment?"

"Santos? Xx BB"

"Long story, but I puked on him xx SP"

Bobby read Steph's latest text and became concerned; dialing her number he waited until he heard her sweet voice answer. Once he got her online he told her he wanted to see her in his room. Watching as Lester sat down on his bed to lace up his shoes she wondered how to respond to Bobby.

"I'm fine Bobby, really" she said as Lester looked over at her

"Steph I need to see you"

"Bobby I…" she said with Lester getting an annoyed look on his face

"I got them Steph"

"Ok"

"Your test results I got them back" he told her and Steph felt like all the air was sucked out of the room

"Ill be there in a few minutes"

Hanging up from Bobby, Steph got real quiet and didn't move until Lester touched her cheek. Looking into Lester's eyes that held some worry, she tried her best to warmly smile at him.

"Bobby just heard about our little incident and wants to see me" she told him

"Steph your stomach problems do worry me. I know Bobby's good and he's my friend but maybe a real doctor is what you need"

"No, uhh, I mean your right Bobby's good and he thinks its acid and I trust him" she said climbing off the bed in search of clothes

"You have a set in my dresser there" Lester told her pointing to his dresser

"Les I'm fine. I'll go see Bobby and see you down stairs"

"Ok baby, please come find me and let me know what's up ok?" he asked sighing

"I will"

Lester pulled her to him and gave her a searing kiss. When he pulled back he looked her over and smiled. Smiling back at him, Steph quickly gave him a kiss telling him she was fine and that she loved him. When Lester left his apartment, Stephs demeanor changed as she plopped down on the side of the bed and sucked in some breaths before going and finding out her fate.


	13. Chapter 13

Picking up his head from his magazine that he was reading, Bobby took his feet off his desk when he heard a knock come to his door. Walking over he opened it to reveal Stephanie. Moving aside he allowed her to come in.

"How are you feeling?" he asked coming to stand behind her

"I don't really know" she told him hugging her arms around herself

Bobby walked back into the other bedroom that he uses for examine people, grabbing the letter that told the test results, he walked back into his living room to find Stephanie sitting in his overstuffed leather chair. Taking a moment he watched her as she looked off into space, tapping her fingernail to her teeth. Bobby caught himself thinking even though she was scared out of her mind; she was still one of the most beautifulest women he'd ever seen. Shaking his head of his thoughts he cleared his mind and brought over the letter handing it to Steph.

"You know?" she asked as Bobby took his place in front of her on the end of his coffee table

"Yea, I know"

Pulling apart the envelope, Stephanie took the letter out with a shaky hand. Holding the results in her hand she stopped and just held it. Bobby furrowed his brows wondering why Steph wasn't reading it to find out if she was pregnant or not. This was what she had wanted and in her hands was the answer.

"I..I can't do it" she said tossing the letter and the envelope towards Bobby and walked into his kitchen

"Steph" Bobby said picking up the letter and envelope and following her into his kitchen

"This is what you wanted. This is why I drew blood from you the other day"

"I know" she said

"Well here it is the moment of truth"

"But if I don't read it, it's not true" she said to him looking at the letter he had stretched out to her

"Steph honey I'm afraid you can't live in denial about this, and if we were true to ourselves you already know the answer without looking at the test results don't you?"

Stephanie nodded her head as tears fell down her cheeks and once again the battle strong man in black softened and pulled her into his arms as she cried, she would forever affect then this way.

"Stephanie, you're pregnant" Bobby told her as she broke down more into his arms

"Bobby I don't know how this happened. I don't know what to do"

"Steph shhh we all know how this happened and you'll see it will all work out. You do want the baby right?" he asked the trembling woman in his arms

"Until now I never let myself think of it as a baby, so I'm not really attached to it. I guess I was hoping it would be negative. God that sounds horrible, I was scared and I still am"

"Steph that's not horrible I can understand that" he told her

"Oh Bobby what am I gonna do? I don't know if he wants kids or how he is with them. Oh God once this gets out there's gonna be so many problems"

"Stephanie you got to calm down this isn't good for you to be so upset. Once Ranger gets over the shock I'm sure he'll be fine with it and if not you have a whole building of people that will be more than willing to step up" he told her rubbing her back

"Its not Rang…."

"What?" he asked not hearing her

Stephanie began to think of Lester and then of Ranger. Bobby noticed she had gone quiet but was still quivering in his arms. He didn't care as long as she needed and accepted his comfort he would be there for her. Going still Steph thought of Ranger and Lester together. Bolting out of Bobby's arms she ran to the bathroom. Dropping to her knees, Steph began to heave and spit. Having not eaten yet but only the few cookies she tossed on herself and Lester, she had nothing to throw up.

"Oh hon" Bobby said crouching down placing a hand on the middle of her back

"Sorry Bobby it just all hit me"

"Don't be sorry, Come on I have some tea that settles your tummy and if it gets out that I drink tea I know who to come after" he told her getting a small smile out of her while he helped her off the bathroom floor

Bobby placed two coffee mugs of water into his microwave and punched in three minutes. As he was doing this Steph picked up her test result letter off the counter where she figured Bobby had laid it. Opening it up and seeing the results where 99.99% positive, Steph began to sway. She knew she was pregnant but to see it in black and white really sealed it for her. When Bobby turned around to ask her if she would like sugar in her tea he saw what she was doing and caught her just as she fainted and planted her face into his chest.

"God Stephanie"

Forgetting the tea, Bobby picked her up bride style and ran her to his bedroom. Gently laying her down in his bed he ran, grabbed a wash cloth, and soaked it in cold water. Running back to his bedroom, Bobby climbed onto bed and began to wipe at Stephanie's face and then laid the cloth onto her forehead.

"Come on baby, come on back to me" he told her

"That's it" he said when Stephanie began to come around

"Did I pass out?"

"Yea hon you fainted" he told her stroking her face

"I read the letter and it was just so there, its right there in black and white"

"I know" Bobby told her

"Bobby"

"Yea?" he asked her

"I know you have done this a lot for me over the past week but not in your bed, but could you hold me? I just need a hug and to be held"

"Steph ill do anything you need or want me to do. He told her as he gathered her into his arms and pulled her close to him

"Bobby"

"Yea?" he asked

"Do you know how far along I am?" she asked in a small frightened voice

"Well going by what you told me, you said you missed two periods and were waiting on this one "

"Guess that's not coming now" she said

"I guess two or three months"

"Ok" Steph said praying to God he wouldn't make the connection. All of RangeMan knew that three months ago in February her and Lester was stuck in a Cabin for three days

"Bobby"

"Steph baby just rest for a few minutes ok?" he asked her then realized he had called her baby out loud

Feeling her body relax finally, Bobby allowed his mind to give into his feelings that he had for Steph. It felt so nice to him to be holding her, his "other patients" would never dream of allowing him to comfort them this way so it was a nice change than his day to day RangeMan dealings. Bobby looked around at where they were and smiled.

"HA! Take that Santos and the rest" he thought "she's in my bed, my arms, in my private bedroom"

Bobby knew she wasn't his but he relished in the thought if the other guys knew they'd be so jealous, especially Lester that man had had a major hard on for her ever since Ranger brought her to Sloan Street. Looking down at her face pressed into his chest he smiled and drew a dark finger over her pale skin, causing a sigh to escape her.

RINGGGGG, the shrill noise blasted thru the quiet bedroom causing both to moan their displeasure.

"It was good while it lasted" Steph said as Bobby pulled his phone off his belt

"Brown" he said into the phone

"Oh hey Santos, what's up?" Steph heard and shot her head up looking at Bobby

"Yea Stephs still here, she was fixing to leave. I gave her some peppermint tea for her stomach. Ok man I'll tell her" he said and then hung up

"Les was worried. You were to see him when you saw me or something?"

"Yea I puked on us so we just took showers at his apartment so I didn't get it anywhere else and I told him I'd let him know what you said when I saw you" she explained

"Ahh"

"Well I guess I'm going back to work" she said walking thru Bobby's apartment with him following her

"If you need me you know where I'm at"

"I know and Thank you so much Bobby" Steph told him, leaning up, and giving him a soft kiss on his lips

"Wow"

"Don't get used to that" she chuckled opening the door and walking out

When the door closed, Bobby smiled thinking of the kiss she gave him just now. Oh it was just an innocent Thank you kiss but it was a kiss from a beautiful woman just the same.


	14. Chapter 14

Stepping off the elevator Steph made her way over to the kitchen. Grabbing a turkey club out of the refrigerator she decided to eat it standing up than to sit at one of the small tables RangeMan provided. While she was picking and tearing chunks of it off, she heard the sound of boots on the tile, turning to see who it was she smiled when Lester came to stand next to her matching her stance.

"You come to eat too?" she asked him

"No I really can't, I told command to tell Ranger we went offline to have lunch"

"But we didn't eat" she said popping a piece of sandwich in her mouth

"I know that and you know that but if Hal thinks about it he'll wonder why you're eating too since we said we went to lunch"

"Yea but what he saw and smelled when we ran in those blankets to your room, I think he should get it why I'm eating" Steph told him as she ate the last bite

"So you stayed up at Browns for a long time"

"Yea he gave me some tea that's supposed to settle stomach and we talked a little" she told him feeling the sandwich hit her stomach like a brick

"Are you ok Steph?" Lester asked her, his voice thick with concern

"Yes Lester I'm fine. Please don't worry"

"Its just you look so pale and you seem to be shaky and I do worry, I love you. If anything's wrong tell me" he told her while watching the other men work

If one of them men looked over into or walked by the kitchen they would see Steph and Lester standing side by side with their butts and backs leaning up against the kitchens counters just casually talking. No one would suspect that they were together or discussing something so private. They looked like two friends talking about the weather, this is what they wanted everyone to believe and how they secretly communicated for the three months they had been seeing each other while at work.

"Lester " Steph said choking up

"Steph baby what's wrong?"

"I love you to" she said wiping her eyes and walking out of the kitchen leaving Lester to watch her walk away

Going into her cubby, Steph sat down in her chair and tried to compose herself. She really needed to get her emotions in check before somebody else besides her and Bobby found out what was really going on with her. Laying her hand on her stomach she looked up to see Lester laughing and kidding around with some of the guys. She smiled as she watched him how he spoke and then laugh as the guys shook their heads at him, probably at one of his dirty jokes. Every now and then he'd look over and catch her eye and give her a little bit of that smile and a wink causing her stomach to flutter.

"I don't know what to do. Or how to tell him" Steph found herself talking she guessed to her stomach

"I can't hide you forever and I know that but for now I'm just gonna keep you my little secret and well Bobby's too"

"Babe" Ranger said causing her to almost jump out of her skin

"RANGER! How long have you been standing there?" she asked panicked thinking he may have heard everything

"Not long at all, but long enough to hear you talking to yourself"

"What makes you think I was talking to myself?" she asked him seeing him quirk an eyebrow

"Well I heard your voice and don't see anyone but you in here Babe"

"Ohh, uhh well as long as I don't answer myself than you don't need to worry" she said laughing

"Ok, Good to know. Are you still up for the Jennea deal?"

"Yes, are you still doubting me?" she asked

"No, you said you were fine, then I don't have any worries about it, right?"

"Right. Ranger you know I've always helped out you and RangeMan" she told him

"Yes Babe I know you have and I know you're going to do great getting Jennea for us" He said cupping her cheek "your photo shoot is tomorrow. I've set it all up and the guy knows that the pictures have to be available for you to bring back here immediately so we can get your profile up on the web site."

"Got it"

"I can't go with you Babe, even though I'd really like to. I have to meet and train a couple of new hires" he told her stroking his thumb over her cheek

"That's ok this part isn't the dangerous part and if I change my mind I'll see if one of the guys whose off tomorrow would like to hang out"

"SANTOS" Ranger stood up and yelled

"Yea?" Lester asked his eyes going dark seeing Ranger with Stephanie

"Steph said she was fine going to her photo shoot tomorrow alone but if she wanted someone to go with her she would call to see who was off, I can't go because of the new hires but your off" he said and Steph's eyes flipped up to Lester's

"Sure Beautiful, just call if you want me to go. I'd love to hang out and watch you get all glamorous" he said wagging his eyebrows at her

"Santos" Ranger warned but Steph smiled letting him silently know it was a deal

"Back to work Santos" Ranger told him "Babe" and he leaned over and swept his lips across her and left

"FUCKING HELL" Steph heard Lester's dark voice

"Les"

"Steph we gotta come out soon. I can't stand seeing him coming onto you anymore. You walked away from him, your mine now he'll just have to deal with it" he told her

"We will soon" she assured him slipping her hand under her desk laying it on her stomach

"We better I don't know how much longer I can keep biting my tongue and keep my fists from slamming into his face. I'm falling more and more in love with you as the time goes and like I said I just wanna slam him when he touches you"

Stephanie's eyes went wide at Lester's confession. She didn't think he even realized he had said it. Smiling she began to think maybe he would take her being pregnant better than she thought. Opening her mouth to say something she quickly closed it as Bobby clamped his hands down around Lester's shoulders.

"Who you after Santos? And whoever he is, is one unlucky son of a Bitch"

"Yea" he calmly said walking off leaving Bobby to look at Steph

"He's just tense about this Jennea thing" Steph said as Bobby sat down in her other chair watching her "Ranger asked him to go with me to the photo shoot tomorrow and you know how protective you guys can be"

"Steph"

"Bobby don't. This is my job and getting a few pictures taken won't hurt anything and you heard what Ranger said Jennea only picks the best looking girls and I'm sure I'm not that" she told him looking anywhere but at him

"Don't be so sure on that" Bobby told her cupping her cheek and locking eyes with her "here, something that might help"

Bobby sat a pink box on Steph's desk and then walked out. Picking up the box, Steph smiled when she read peppermint tea wrote in block letters across the box. She knew Bobby wasn't ok with her going after Jennea, but it was only pictures and like she told him she had to be picked for the second phase of the deal and she wasn't sure she would be. There was probably gonna be hundreds of women to choose from and she was no stand out. Even if she did somehow manage to get picked they guys would be there, they always were, and they wouldn't let him hurt her.


	15. Chapter 15

When Stephanie woke up the next morning she jumped out of bed and made it just in time to throw up in the toilet. Picking herself up from the floor she flushed the toilet and went over to her sink to brush her teeth. After gagging every time she put the toothbrush in her mouth, Steph finally gave up and went in search of the tea Bobby had given her. Popping in a coffee mug of water into her microwave for three minutes, she placed some sugar and a tea bag into the hot water, and slowly sipped at it.

"Ok you have to stop making me so sick at random times. If I keep puking on people their gonna get quite upset and then realize why I've been getting so sick" she said patting her stomach

Finishing her tea, Steph feeling a little better walked back into her bedroom and sat on the side of her bed. Sitting there a moment to let a small wave of nausea pass, she picked up her phone that was on the charger and hit speed dial number two.

"Yea" he huskily said into her ear

"Time to get up sleeping beauty"

"Steph? Baby you of all people love sleep so why are you calling me so early?" Lester asked shifting around in his bed

"Uh something just got me up. Are you coming over and then going with me to my photo shoot?"

"Of course but you didn't have to call" he told her as she heard his alarm go off

"Oh I know, but thought as a formality I should. You never know when one of our dear friends will take a better look at us for some odd reason, so I left a trail"

"Steph" Lester said smirking

"What? It could happen"

"Yea it could and when I found out who did it they would die too" he told her sitting up on the side of his bed

"Seeee, I know you all are sneaky"

"Ok baby let me shower and ill be over" he told her standing and stretching his lean but big body

Stephanie heard the click and then the dead air and she knew Lester had hung up. Putting her phone back onto her bed table, Steph took her robe that was draped over her club chair, and went to take a shower herself. Once she lathered, shaved, and shampooed to an inch of her life she got out, pulled the robe around her, and went in search of clothes.

"OH MY GOD WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?" she freaked out looking at herself in the full length mirror in her bedroom

"I HAVE BOOBS! Well more of them" she said running her hands over them in the bra of the bra and pantie set she had picked out to wear

Steph turned herself sideways to pick up a pair of jeans she had laid out and turned her head back to look in the mirror. What she saw caused her to gasp out loud and nearly fall over into the floor.

"That isn't fat and I don't think not eating will cause this to go away" she said turning to the other side and running her hand over a slight bump

"STEPH I BROUGHT COFFEE AND DONUTS"

"SHIT OH SHIT" Stephanie said panicking as she heard Lester call out as he came in

"WHY THE HELL CANT THEY EVER KNOCK?" She mumbled grabbing the first thing she laid her hands on, her robe and pulled it around herself

"Steph?"

"Hi" she said opening her bedroom door to find Lester standing there "I was just getting dressed"

"You didn't have to stop, I would have helped you"

"Yea right. You'd help take the clothes off instead of on" she said smirking as a grin spread across Lester's face

"When's your shoot?" Lester asked wrapping his arms around her waist

"Nine"

"Good" he said attaching his mouth to her in a hungry kiss

Wrapping her arms around Lester's strong neck he moved forward causing Steph to walk backwards. Hitting her bed with the backs of her knees, Lester laid her down and came over her. Still feeling bad about what he had said to cause her to get pissed and pull away from him, Lester still his kisses and then kissed her deep letting her know he was lucky to have her back.

"I'm so lucky to have you" he told her looking down into her eyes

"Aww why is it luck?"

"Well I don't know if you know or not but all the guys really like you. They'd all love to be right here with you just like I am" he told her

"Even Tank?"

"Even Tank" he told her smirking

"That's only because I'm the only female in a building full of Horney men"

"That's not all Steph. I'm sure for a few but your special" he said turning serious "I still stop and think it's me you picked and not Ranger"

"I loved Ranger a lot and a part of me still does and I guess always will, but I'm in love with you Les. I've waited and hung on for Ranger for a long time and he never would step up. I was just a play thing to him and to Joe, but you were right when you told me in the cabin to let go and give in to my other desire to love you. You have no baggage, you are free Lester and it's so refreshing"

Leaning down Lester caught her mouth in a hard kiss. Running his hand down her robe he placed his hand into the opening and drew his fingers up her leg. Gasping and moaning, Steph arched herself into him. Bringing his head down he began to lightly suck and lick on her neck, driving her wild, Steph barely registered his hand undoing the knot of her belt. Feeling his hand slide over her ribs, Steph jerked away leaving Lester in a bewildered painful state.

"Steph what are you doing?"

"Oh uh the thought just came to me that I only have an hour to get ready for the shoot and you see my hair and I have to do my make up" she said sliding off the bed

"No you don't Steph. It's their job to dress you, do your hair, and your makeup. Come back to bed you can brush it up into a pony tail or something after you spend some time with me"

"LESSSSSS, you are so not a girl" she said putting her hands on her hips

"No and I'm pretty sure you like it that way, now come on we were in the middle of something"

"I'd really love to Lester but I don't wanna screw this up and besides there's coffee and donuts in there that your brought" Steph said picking her shirt and jeans up from the bed and began walking towards her bathroom

When Lester saw that Stephanie wasn't going to come back to bed, he jumped off the bed and grabbed her around the waist as she walked over the threshold of the bathroom. With a startled squeak she was pinned up against the wall with a very aroused Lester pressed firmly into her.

"What I have to offer you, I think you'll like a lot better than coffee and donuts" He said kissing her and grinding into her center

Stephanie was scared. On one hand she wanted to sleep with Lester, he felt so good rubbing up against her, he was making her melt. She had no excuse or reason not to sleep with him, she had been for the last three months and since they were keeping their relationship on the down low since Ranger was around it was hard for them to get alone time, so this is exactly what they would be doing.

On the Second hand she had saw and found out today that she was beginning to show, not by much but her pregnancy was now becoming evident on her body by the bigger fuller breasts and the small bump on her tummy. It had only been three short months that she had been with Lester but she was pretty sure he knew her body pretty well and would pick up on the changes.

"Les stop" she heard herself say and he took a step back from her with confusion on his face


	16. Chapter 16

Stephanie bent down and picked up her clothes that Lester had knocked out of her hand. When she looked back up she saw Lester with his hands on his hips studying her. With a weak smile she slipped into the bathroom so she could finish getting ready.

Tugging on her jeans, Steph brought the two ends to meet and it wouldn't go. Trying again to button her pants, Steph let out a frustrated breath. Sucking in a big breath, Steph held her tummy in and fastened the button, when she let out her breath and stomach she found the button pinching into her belly.

"Ow ow ow ow" she said hurrying and popping it open again "ahhh that's better

Taking the shirt of the sink counter she looked at it and thought about how it was a fitted T-shirt and it would show off her boobs and that her jeans weren't buttoned, sighing she opened the bathroom door and looked out. Feeling her heart drop when she saw Lester wasn't in her room she quickly ran over to her closet and grabbed a RangeMan sweatshirt, pulling it over her head, she then pulled her hair up into a messy pony tail, and opened her bedroom door to find Lester standing against her counter with his legs crossed sipping his coffee in her kitchen.

"Hi"

"Hello" he said glancing over as she walked up to him

"Is that one mine?" she asked gesturing to the coffee cup sitting on her table

"Yep"

"Thank you" Steph told him as she grabbed a donut and her coffee

"Don't mention it"

Lester drank at his coffee as he watched Stephanie put hers in the microwave to heat it up. As she waited she ate half of her donut before the beep came telling her it was done. Lester watched as she placed the plastic lid back on top of the cup and took a drink.

"Ohhh uggg did you put something in this?" she asked

"I told them cream" he told her

Stephanie took another drink of coffee and made a bad face, pouring her coffee out she announced to Lester she couldn't drink it.

"How's yours?"

"Not the best, but its coffee" he told her

"Maybe mine was the bottom of the pot or something"

"Don't think so. I watched as they just sat it back after refilling it" Lester said

"Welll Then I don't know" Steph shouted crossing her arms around her chest

Lester looked over at Steph and wondered what had gotten into her. First she acted all spooked when he came in, then she stopped them from being together, something she has never done, and now she just had snapped at him over coffee. Quirking an eyebrow at her he shook his head as he drained the last of his coffee from his cup.

"At least the donuts are good, but they always have great donuts" she said eating on her second one

"We should go"

"Oh ok" Steph said grabbing a napkin and wiping her hands off

"I'll wait in the truck for you"

Stephanie watched as Lester walked out of her apartment. She knew by the way he was speaking to her that he was pissed about what didn't happen between them earlier, and she didn't blame him. Grabbing her bag and sunglasses she locked her door and went down to Lester.

Walking out of her building, Steph spotted Lester's SUV parked next to her car. Opening the door she climbed in and buckled herself in, Lester asked if she was ready and with a nod of her head he pushed the key into the ignition, turning the truck on, and pulled out of the parking lot. Steph looked over as Lester drove to the photo shoot location and noticed his usual soft smooth features were now tight with tension as he clenched his teeth causing his mouth and his jaw to tighten. She had only saw this when he was up against an unknown foe or he had to go out and do something he figured was going to be bad. Steph knew that today it wasn't a case he was working on or a mission he had to do that had Lester in a mood, it was her.

"I..Uhh.. I hope I don't screw this up somehow" she said breaking the silence hoping to smooth over things with Lester

"Just pictures"

"Yea, But you know me" she said waving her hands and chuckling a bit

Lester didn't say anything more and they resumed to drive and ride in silence again. Not being able to take it anymore, Steph slid her hand over onto Lester's thigh.

"Les can I explain?" she asked feeling his hard thigh muscles flex under her fingers

"Explain what Steph?"

"Why I stopped you earlier. You know in my bedroom" she said sadly looking over at him

"Oh I remember" he said clenching his jaw

"Les I know I've never stopped you before but I have a good reason" she said

"What?"

"Well I've put on some weight and…" she bag to tell him

"God Steph you stopped it because of a few pounds? Steph I don't care that you gained a few extra pounds"

"Its not just a few extra pounds" she said as he pulled into a warehouse looking building

"Ok I know you feel fat, disgusting, and gross right? Steph I've dated other girls and I've heard this so many times before"

"But, Les"

"Bobby had this girl one time that he brought up on five one night, after she saw some of the guys she bolted. Later she told Brown it was because all of the RangeMen she saw were huge, buffed, and good looking and she felt hideous beside them" he told her

"Oh"

"Baby I don't care you gained a few pounds" he told her again

"I'm sorry"

"Me too. We better go in, Rangers waiting on the CD" he told her motioning to the building

"Yea, let's go" she said sighing, slipping out of the truck

While they both walked to the studio door, Steph though how she was trying to tell Lester this wasn't just about weight she was concerned about. Lester thinking it was didn't let her talk and confirmed to her that she just should wait a little longer maybe after the Jennea case was over so they could sit down together just them with no distractions and talk. Opening the door to the photo studio she was greeted by a man and a woman. They whisked her away and left Lester to wander around while they worked their magic.


	17. Chapter 17

The woman who identified herself as Jessica had a firm grip on Stephanie's elbow. Breaking away from the man who went over to a huge camera, Jessica guided Steph over to a small room. When she opened it Steph gasped at the racks and racks of clothes and lines of shoes that lined the other side of the wall with a lighted make up dresser with everything you could dream of on it.

"Impressive huh?" Jessica asked

"Yea but the room looks so small from the outside"

"I know. We had it made that way but its long and plenty of space" she said closing the frosted glass door behind them "this is where I shine. I'm the makeup, hair, and wardrobe person and I'm damn good too"

Jessica handed some clothes over to Steph to put on for her first picture. She was told she would have five pics done but would have several poses of the one pic, so that her boss could pick the ones he liked of each outfit change. Sliding the pants on, Steph again struggled to get them to fasten. Looking from pulling things from racks, Jessica paid more attention to the struggling brunette in front of her.

"OH" she said her hand flying to her mouth

Panicked Steph looked up at her. Ranger was the one who set this whole thing up so they must know each other. They could tell him everything and blow everything out of the water.

"Do you know Ranger? Do you work for him?" Steph asked

"Who?"

"Ranger.. Uh Carlos Manoso?" She asked her heart beating 100 miles a minute

"No I don't know him"

"Anyone from RangeMan?" she asked

"No"

"Ok uhh" Steph said trying to think about what to do about Jessica and the photo shoot

"Can I ask you a huge favor?"

"Yea" Jessica told her

"I know you can see that I'm pregnant" Jessica nodded her head "well could you please not say anything? It's very complicated:

"Don't worry my lips are sealed and here I have all sizes, no one will know" she said handing Steph a new bigger pair of pants

Lester heard the door to the small room creek open. The woman that snatched Steph away looked in his direction and smiled a little smile at him. Looking back he tilted her head back and then he watched as Steph came out and followed the woman over to the man who now held a camera.

Lester smiled as he watched Steph be put in a few different poses and new outfits, she was beautiful. Every once in a while before the camera snapped she would look over and catch Lester's eyes and blush when she found him looking intently at her. Lester stood there thinking about Steph and when he looked back at her a wave of protectiveness shot thru him. The man with the camera was talking to her and the look of panic was all over her face and her body language screamed the same as she looked over to the woman who had been clothing her and then she settled on Lester.

"Stephanie what's wrong?" Lester asked walking close to her

"Nothing" She told him as she quickly darted off into the dressing room with the woman

Watching the door close behind the two women, Lester sat his gaze onto the photographer, who went pale and slid away.

"What did you say to her?"

"Nothing bad. I told her that Mr. Manoso wanted a few intimate shots" the photographer told him not getting to close to the big scary man

"Intimate?"

"Yea like lingerie. Her reaction is actually pretty normal. She doesn't know me and I'm a man and she's gonna be only in her underwear" he told Lester hoping he wouldn't kill him

In the dressing room, Stephanie paced back and forth wringing her hands and talking to herself. Jessica was busy going thru the bra and panty sets, trying to pick the perfect one. Stopping at a white eyelet lace set with soft pink running stitching over the top part of the bra and two soft pink bows on each strap where it connected, she pulled it from the rack and went over to a still fretting Stephanie.

"Here, this is perfect" Jessica said stretching it out to Steph to take

"Jessica I can not do these shots"

"Sure you can" she told her

"Jessica I'm pregnant and showing. The clothes so far have hid it but being only in a bra and panties with show everything"

"Stephanie I know you're pregnant and I know you don't want everyone to know. Trust me I know what I'm doing, now here put this on" Jessica told her "oh and can I do something different with your hair?"

Still very uneasy with the thought of wearing only underwear for the next couple of shots in front of Lester Steph hesitantly took the offered garments from Jessica who had a wide grin plastered on her face. Looking at the bra and panty set she looked back up at Jessica. With a little more nudging and prodding, Steph slipped out of her clothes and put the pretty lingerie set on. Getting a robe from Jessica, She placed it around herself, and sat on the stool at the makeup and hair station.


	18. Chapter 18

After sitting for a long time, Jessica announced to Steph that she was ready. Standing up to finally stretch her legs, Stephanie turned to see herself in the mirror. Looking once and then doing a double take, Steph reached out a hand and touched her straight hair.

"Is that really me?" She asked shocked

"Ha-ha yes that's you"

"I..I.. Have straight hair and I'm pretty" Steph said stroking her hair still

"GIRLLL your more than pretty, you're hot. When you walk out there that guy your with will keel over with just one look of you"

"Lester" Stephanie softly said to herself

"Here, take that off and put this on" Jessica said as she held out a sheer see thru robe

"They're gonna tell, that's see thru"

"Nope. See?" she asked closing it around Steph

Stephanie looked down and saw two large width ribbons running down the length of each side of the robe. When it was tied it covered her stomach. Turning to the mirror she looked at herself to see if you could see the bump, not being able to she smiled and took in the whole picture that reflected back to her in the mirror.

"Wow"

"Yep" Jessica said smiling at a job well done

"JESS WHATS THE HOLD UP?" REMEMBER MR. MANOSO SAID THIS WAS VERY TIME SENSITIVE. THESE ARE THE LAST SHOTS AND I CAN BURN THEM A CD AND THEY CAN BE ON THEIR WAY" the girls heard thru the frosted glass door

"We're coming. Hair took a bit" Jessica called back "ready?"

Jessica walked out of the dressing room and winked at Lester. Lester taken back by the gesture smiled politely as he saw Steph emerge out of the room behind her.

"OH MY GOD!" Lester said on a huge breath of air as Stephanie walked out and over to the photographer. His eyes bugged out and his groin painfully hardened

As the photographer sat her on a bed, Stephanie shot a quick glance at Lester out of the corner of her eyes. What she saw almost caused her to lose it as she watched him being so flustered and constantly readjusting himself. Looking over to Jessica she just smiled and winked letting Steph know she too had saw. Seeing the photographer starting to remove the robe, Jessica stepped up and told him she would do it. A minute later the robe was off Steph's shoulders and pooled around her tummy and the shot was taken.

Lester watched as the robe was slid off Stephs shoulders and revealed her bra. Feeling himself get harder and harder he almost came in his pants when Stephanie gave him a sultry look right at him as the camera clicked. Hot and bothered doesn't even come close to how Lester was feeling as he continued to watch as they posed her in that damn bed ,with them damn pillows, and those damn clothes, and oh God that damn hair. He was quickly coming undone.

"OK THAT'S A WRAP" the photographer called "Jess you help me with burning the CD and then Stephanie can get dressed and be on her way?"

"Sure"

"It'll take about 10 to 20 minutes to burn and make sure there are no reshoots that need to be done" he told Stephanie

"Ok we'll be here"

Steph stood up and smoothed the robe back into place so that her stomach was hidden again. Sitting back down on the bed she crossed her legs making the sheer robe part and show most of them. Hearing a low growl she turned to come face to face with a very aroused Lester Santos. Back away only for him to advance, she found herself on her back with the big, hot, turned on man towering over her.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" he asked her

"No"

Lester took her hand and placed it on his very hard erection "this" he said

"So I take it you approve?"

"Steph I've never forced any girl too sleep with me or have I forced myself on her… But watching this.. DAMN!" he said capturing her mouth in a hard searing kiss, grinding himself hard into her

"Les we can't" Steph told him as he began to suck on her neck and run his hand up the leg that was around him

"Yes we can and we are. I've got to have you right now"

"Les they're only over there in that small room and they'll be out soon. I didn't take a lot of pictures" she said as he kissed the tops of her breasts causing her eyes to close as he was getting to her

"Don't care"

"Les… OH GOD" Steph called out as he cupped her in his hand "No we can't doo this here. We are in a photo studio and we have to report back to Ranger"

With the mention of Ranger, Lester stilled and after a minute fell to his back on the bed next to Stephanie. Rolling to her side she looked over to Lester who rubbed his face with his hands.

"That's twice Steph" he told her

"I know but you can't honestly say you'd done it here right?" She asked and got a look from Lester

"I'll make it up to you Les, I promise" she said as the door opened and the both sat up quickly

"Stephanie you can get dressed we don't have to do any reshoots" the photographer told her handing her the burned CD

"Oh ok. Thank you for your time and help"

"Your welcome"

Stephanie walked over with Jessica to the dressing room after she handed off the CD to Lester. Going to take off the bra, Jessica stopped her and told her she could keep the underwear set, they had bought a lot of each sets. Thanking her for everything she did for her, Steph slipped on her own clothes and got ready to leave. Walking out she found Lester leaning with his back against the wall waiting on her.

"Ready?" she asked

"Yep, let's roll"


	19. Chapter 19

Lester weaving his way thru the traffic and the streets of Trenton was making his way towards Haywood. Pulling up to a red light that he knew always took along time he looked over to Stephanie, Big Mistake! Just the sight of her with her long straight wavy hair took him back to the moment when she walked out of that dressing room wearing the see thru robe. Seeing her walk over to the photographer who placed her on the bed and revealed her underwear for the picture had his blood pounding and rushing in his ears. Gripping the steering wheel, Lester closed his eyes trying to control the tightening of his pants; He couldn't go into RangeMan with a very noticeable hard on.

"Les" Stephanie said turning to face him

"Yea" he said all breathy

"Do you like my hair this way? I've never worn it straight before. What do you think?"

"Baby you have no idea what's its doing to me" he told her

"Really? You like it?"

"Oh yea. I wanna tangle my hands in it and do wicked things with you" he said running his hand thru her soft tresses

Leaning over Stephanie softly kissed Lester. They began to get carried away when the light they sat at turned green. Not seeing it and not moving the people behind them began to get irate and blow their horns to get their attentions.

"HONK MOVE IT JACKASS HONK" they heard

"Opps"Steph said blushing as she sat back in her seat and Lester pushed the gas making the truck move forward

"Gotta love the Jersey attitude"

"Yep" Steph giggled as Lester drove down to Haywood

Getting the light right before RangeMan, Steph felt a twinge in her stomach. Closing her eyes she slid her hand over her stomach and gently stroked it, hoping to ease it before it got too bad. Hearing a sound come from Stephs direction, Lester glanced over and saw her head back, eyes closed, a distressed look on her face, and her had laying on her stomach.

"Baby you ok?" he asked concern creeping in

"mmhmm"

Getting the green light, Lester pulled into the underground garage and found a parking spot. Pulling up the console he scooted over and slid his hand over Stephanie's.

"Your stomach's hurting again isn't it Steph?" he asked rubbing it to with her hand causing her eyes to snap open and begin to panic

"Noo it's ok really"

"Steph" Lester said in a voice telling her that he knew better

"It's not hurting, more like queasy. Its nearly lunch time and I've only had the donuts in my apartment earlier"

"Stephanie is there something really wrong here?" Lester asked pinning her with a serious look

"No Les it's ok" she said really hoping it would be

"I love you"

"I love you too" she told him as he kissed her

"Cameras"

"Tinted windows" he reminded her as his tongue swept into her mouth

"Yea but if we just sit here, they'll know something's up"

"Steph" Lester said pulling back

"Yea?"

"Shut up" he told her as his mouth claimed her once more

Once Stephanie and Lester finally made it onto the fifth floor everything was dead calm. No talking was heard, no shuffling of papers, reports stopped being read, and coffee and lunch were forgotten, all eyes were on Stephanie and Lester became rather annoyed.

"Go get something to eat. I'll tell Ranger we're here" he told her

"Ok"

When Stephanie walked off to the kitchen she looked into the fridge to see what she might like, picking a turkey sandwich and a bottle of water she went over to the small tables and began to eat. While she ate several men came over to Lester as he walked thru the cubbies to find Ranger.

"Damn man what happened to Bombshell" Hall asked with the others breaking their necks to look at Steph thru the kitchens glass walls

"What? Nothing" Lester told him

"She sure is smoken today.. DAMN"

"Shut the fuck up" Lester said leaving a confused man and men staring at him

"You sick Les Buddy?"

"Probably somewhat" he told him before walking away

Lester knew why they all looked at him like he was crazy. They would all play cards and talk of being with Stephanie. If it wasn't cards it would be over pizza at Pinos or at Shorty's but the conversations were always the same and he knew his rep gave him the lead in talking and getting off on fantasizing about her. He made his way to Rangers office door when Tank walked out and looked at him.

"Boss man in?" Lester asked

"Yep he….OH SHIT"

Lester turned around to see what the big guy had seen. Coming down the hall was Steph who walked into her cubby. Lester shook his head and turned back to Tank who was still staring.

"Uhh Tank?" he asked the usually quiet man

"Hmmmm?"

"Usually you don't get involved" he told him

"Just because we are all on a diet doesn't mean we can't look" Tank said to a stunned Lester "And Les my friend I am a red blooded American male and I do find Miss. Plum very attractive, but I can control myself"

Tank took one last look at Stephanie and walked off to his office. Aborting his mission to tell Ranger they were back, Lester walked over to Steph and flopped into her visitor's chair.

"You have to wash your hair" Lester told her locking eyes with her

"What? Why? I thought you liked it"

"I do, I love it but I'm not the only one" he told her" and that's the problem"

"Babe" they heard and looked up to see Ranger standing there staring at Steph

"Shit" Lester thought as Ranger and Steph was locked eye to eye

Not being able to take anymore, Lester stood up and took the CD out of his pants pocket.

"Here's Steph's photo shoot" he said interrupting the staring contest

"Meeting in conference room in ten"

"Got it" Lester said as Ranger walked off and flashed Steph a pissed off look letting her see that he didn't like Ranger looking at her


	20. Chapter 20

Stephanie and the core RangeMan team walked into the conference room to see seven folders laid out on the table with seven bottles of water accompanying them. Taking a seat between Tank and Bobby, Steph slid her yes to the head of the table where Ranger sat typing on a sleek black lap top. With everyone seated, Ranger looked up and greeted his team.

"First off this meeting will be conducted a little differently than our others. I have everything set up behind me so you will see what's going on and discuss it. I will be doing it and seeing the exact same thing on the lap top" he told them and got nods of understandings

Ranger took a disk and slid it into the drive of the lap top; as it slid closed images of Stephanie began to fill the big screen behind Ranger, Everyone sucked in a huge breath as the first picture just happened to be the one of the lingerie ones. Bowing her head with her hands holding her forehead, Steph shook her head as embarrassment took its hold on her.

"Holy hell Bombshell, hold you head high girl, you look amazing" Cal said from across the table earning him a look from Ranger

"Babe, Cal's right about one thing you need to hold your head up and participate because this is really your gig" Ranger told her

Lester watched as Stephanie picked her head up and looked at the screen behind Ranger. He never understood why women who were pretty good looking always had trouble looking at themselves in pictures; he had come across a lot of girls like that. Watching as Ranger went thru each picture, each of his Co-workers very much appreciated them by the sounds and moans he heard, but when Steph saw the pics she would let out a breath and fidget in her seat.

"Stephanie your beautiful" Lester told her

"Santos is right Babe you really are"

"Thank you" she said looking over to Lester giving him a warm smile

"Ok everyone this is the model search web page. There needs to be one picture of Stephanie for the cover pic and the rest go in her album" Ranger told them "which one should be the cover?"

It wasn't a surprise that everyone picked the picture of Steph which she shot Lester the sultry look as they snapped the pic. Everyone watched as Ranger made that the cover and added the rest.

"I already created a profile name and password for you. Now you don't have to use it, it will be strictly monitored by RangeMan" Ranger told her

"What's my…" she said and suddenly stopped

"Steph?"

"Sorry, umm what's my name?" she asked

"Name? Ohh on the site?" Ranger asked and Steph nodded "Its Stephanie"

"Oh I didn't know if it was something exotic or sexy" she said

"No I think Stephanie is a nice name" Ranger said and smiled at her "ok the way it works is Jennea looks over the girls and picks the ones he likes and sends out emails to the ones he picks. I set you up a phony email only we will know it. If you want you can look in it"

"Nah"she said

"All right Steph you have officially threw your hat in the ring to be discovered. All we do is wait now till Jennea picks you up"

"If he really does" she said opening the folder on the table that was in front of her

"I'd pick you" Tank said to her

"Well thank you big guy" Stephanie said turning to him, blushing, and then smiled

Ranger began going over Jennea's file and what would happen if Stephanie was picked. Steph was listening to Ranger when her stomach began to protest. Slipping her hand under the table she rubbed it and began to slowly breathe. After a few minutes Lester watched as Steph grabbed her water off the table and opened it. She slowly sipped a few sips and by her actions he knew something was up.

"Sorry excuse me" Steph said getting up and hurrying out of the room in obvious distress

"Steph" Lester said standing up watching her leave

All the men in the conference room watched thru the glass windows as Steph jogged to the bathroom. Ranger motioned for Bobby to go after her when Lester interrupted and said he would. Ranger told him to sit and told Bobby to go on.

"Santos. Bobby can be more help if she needs it" Ranger told him

Wanting to be with Steph but also not wanting to cause problems, Lester reluctantly sat down and watched Bobby run out the door and down the same path as Steph had.


	21. Chapter 21

Bobby reached the bathroom door, he stopped and collected himself for what he's find on the other side. Taking in a breath he looked up and studied the door, this door was like any other bathroom door, the only difference was there was no customary plaque screwed in to tell you which sex belonged in there. There was no need with a building full of men, l now that Steph was around they all had to be more careful. Hearing someone violently sick on the other side, Bobby braced himself and pushed open the door.

"STEPHANIE" Bobby bellowed stopping as Brett pointed towards the stalls

"Privacy"

"You got it" He said as he walked out

"Don't let anyone in; they gotta go tell em to go to their apartments or something"

Bobby opened the stall door and found Steph sitting on the floor with her back up against the stall crying into her knees.

"Steph" Bobby said as he crouched down in front of her

"Oh Bobby" Steph cried throwing herself into him

"Shh hon it's ok"

Bobby rubbed Stephanie's back as she sobbed into his chest. Looking over he saw the mess she had made in the toilet, leaning over he flushed it. Feeling him shifting around Steph burrowed herself into Bobby's body. Holding her tight he gave her soft kisses in her hair.

"It just hits me all the sudden I don't know when or where" she said

"Yea"

"Just hold me please Bobby? I just feel so all alone. You're the only one who knows" she told him

Bobby sighed but held onto her. He wished she would go see a real doctor that specialized in her condition. They could probably do something more to help with her getting so sick, but the times he had brought it up to her she was very adamant in not going to a real doctor.

"I'm beginning to show" Steph told him

"You are?"

"Yes, I didn't want everyone to know just yet but I can't keep hiding it"

"No I'm afraid not. I told you, you wouldn't be able to hide it for long"

"Bobby what am I gonna do? This will be so bad when it comes out" she asked

"Steph maybe at first but I really think it's gonna be ok"

"No it's gonna be bad real bad" she said pulling back and wiping her eyes

"Ok listen after the meeting lets go to my room and talk, but right now we need to get up off this dirty floor"

"Ugg I can't. Every time I move my stomach rolls" Steph told him holding her stomach

"Here" Bobby said slipping his hand into his pocket and bringing something out

"What's this?"

"This is a peppermint candy. I know the tea made you feel better so I thought maybe this would too" Bobby said placing the hard candy into her palm

"Bobby you're so good to me. I love you" Steph said getting weepy

"Don't cry, I love you to, now come on let's get back to the meeting" Bobby said pulling her up

After rinsing her mouth out, Steph opened and popped the candy into her mouth. Standing there with Bobby watching over her, Steph sucked the candy a few good times before relaxing enough to be able to walk back to the meeting.

"OK?" He asked as they walked down the hall to the conference room

"Not a hundred percent but much better. Bobby you're a life saver"

"We'll talk after the meeting"

Lester looked up as Stephanie and Bobby walked back in. Ranger also watched as she slid back into her spot between Bobby and Tank. Looking around, Steph could see that no one but Lester would look at her and she could feel tension from the men around her. Not being able to take it anymore she spoke up.

"WHAT?"

"Steph what just happened?" Ranger asked her standing with his arms crossed

"Nothing"

"Ok" he said lowering his eyes before shifting them over to Bobby

"Bobby"

"Sir" he responded

"Where did you find Stephanie just now?"

"Bathroom Sir" he answered

"And what was she doing?"

"Ranger" Steph called out

"Brown?"

"Puking sir" Bobby said as Steph closed her eyes not believing this was happening

"Bobby in your opinion…"Ranger said being cut off

"OK ENOUGH" Steph said standing up "yes I ran out of here, yes I was in the bathroom, and yes I threw up" she gritted out and everyone locked eyes on their boss. Stephanie was probably the only one that could get away with talking to Ranger like that.

Ranger gave a dark look at Steph and in just one word commanded her to sit. Not wanting to be told what to do Stephanie stood her ground much to Lester's and the men's surprise. Tank who was next to her knew this could blow up and be serious real fast and he didn't want that. If Ranger and Steph came to "blows" each of the men would war within themselves which to choose, their leader who they were employed with or Steph the little girl they all loved and wanted a chance with? Taking the ends of her sweatshirt, Tank pulled down. With a yelp of surprise, Steph fell back into her chair.

Lester watched as his girlfriend became more and more agitated. He was very worried about her and why she kept getting so sick. Watching her she was now giving Tank and ear full which to his knowledge; Steph never messed with too much. What had gotten into Steph and why is she all the sudden acting this way?

"ENOUGH" Ranger yelled and everyone jumped straight in their seats

"Bobby is there something going on with Stephanie?"

Stephanie looked over at him with pleading eyes "Sir with all due respect, I can't answer one way or the other"

"Bobby" Ranger said lowering his voice

"Sir, Confidentiality between patient and doctor. Now if Steph wants to disclose what we discussed that that's her, but I can't"

"You're a medic" Ranger reminded him

"Same thing Sir. People come to me in their lowest times, they trust me. I don't judge, I help. Would you want me to tell what some have been seen for?"

Ranger thought for a minute "no" he said knowing he had been treated himself by Bobby and not just for gunshot wounds and probably his men also at one time or another. Ranger remembered a bad stomach flu that hit the building, he shuddered at the thought.

"Stephanie" Ranger said and Lester leaned in closer to hear what she had to say

"Yea?"

"Are you ok?" he asked and Lester watched and listened

"Yes, Ranger I'm fine. I've told you before Bobby thinks its acid reflux. He has started giving me stuff to settle my stomach. Right before the meeting I ate lunch here. I woofed it down causing it to come back up. If you don't believe me as Lester he sent me off to eat"

"Santos?" Ranger asked

"Yes sir, I did"

"All right I've had enough of this meeting. Your all dismissed. If anything on the site comes up ill notify you all" Ranger said shutting off the lap top

A little bit after the meeting Bobby had returned to his apartment to wait on Steph. When a knock came to his door he assumed it was her. When he opened it he was surprised at who it was.

"Santos?"

"Got a minute Brown?" he asked


	22. Chapter 22

Bobby moved and let Lester into his apartment. Before he closed the door he looked around the hall to see if Stephanie was around, seeing nothing he closed the door and walked back into Lester.

"Hey man, what's up?" he asked as he sat down in his chair

"Oh nothing with me I'm fine, but I'm concerned about Steph"

"Oh"

"Bobby I care about her a lot"

"We all do man. Everyone of us wants to be with her, but your just the more open about it ha-ha which gets you into a lot of trouble" Bobby said tipping his head back to laugh

Lester grinned "yea I know. Listen friend to friend is steph ok?"

"Les man you heard what I said to Ranger, I can't say if there is or if there isn't. If Steph wants us to know it's her place to say not mine"

"But Bob will she be ok? I'm asking because ever since we were snow bound together, we've grown close and we've shared a lot. Steph been complaining for a long time about her stomach bothering her and I see my friend getting sicker and sicker as days go by"

"Les I can't.." he said as Lester held up a hand and stopped him

"I love her. I saw her blow up at Ranger and then let Tank have it. Something's wrong here that is not our Steph"

"I love her too. Look because Stephanie said this I guess its ok. Les Stephs condition is not life threatening. She can work, and hopefully it should all blow over in a few weeks" Bobby said remembering from his research that morning sickness should pass soon, but unfortunately there are some women that has it all during their pregnancy

"So the stuff your doing for her should work?"

"Yea, it should help" he said knowing he was giving Lester half truths

Lester opened his mouth to say something else when someone knocked on Bobby's door. Bobby stood from his chair and walked the short distance to his door. Opening it this time, Steph stood there looking up at him with her beautiful wide blue eyes, stepping into him she cuddled herself into his body. Placing his arms around her he leaned down and whispered into her ear causing her to stiffen.

"If you don't want anything out don't say anything, Lester is inside on the couch"

"WHAT? HE IS?" Steph asked panicked

"Lester's here. He came asking about you"

Stephanie pulled away from Bobby and walked into his apartment to see Lester sitting on the couch, as she approached Lester stood seeing it was Steph who came in.

"Bab-eautiful" he said catching himself

"Les what are you doing here?"

"Oh nothing just making sure you really are ok" he told her

"I told you all I was ok"

"I know and Bobby let me know you'd be fine" Lester told her "he explained everything"

"Oh?" Steph asked looking over to Bobby

"Yea, well I'm gonna get out of here and let you see Bobby, See you soon Beautiful" Lester said kissing her forehead

When Lester left Stephanie questioned Bobby about talking to Lester about her. He reassured her that nothing was said that she hadn't already told them. Steph crossed her arms and fought the tears that fell anyways. Moving to comfort her, Steph pushed Bobby away.

"I..I can't deal with this right now"

"Steph nothing happened. Les knows nothing" he told her

"I'm just all messed up inside. One minute I'm fine, the next angry as hell, the next sad and crying, and then I'm just starving but puke it up the next minute. What's wrong with me?"

"You're pregnant" Bobby told her

"I've gotta get out of here"

Stephanie ran out of Bobby's apartment and down the hall. Bobby yelled at her to not leave like that to come back and talk, but steph pushed open the stair well door and ran down the stairs. She didn't stop till her lungs felt like they were on fire. Stopping, Steph sat on a set of steps and let the wracking sobs take her. After a few moments of heavy crying, Steph felt a hand on her shoulder, figuring it was Ranger she pulled away and looked up.

"Hola Chicka" Hector said plopping his slim self down next to her

"Great someone that won't understand me cause he doesn't speak English"

"Don't be so sure Beautiful Stephanie" he said in perfect English causing Steph's eyes to widen "I have lots of secrets"

"But you never speak but in Spanish"

"Si it is my native tongue and I prefer it but I also know English. Shh it's our secret" he told her

"You have a lot of secrets?"

"Well I know you have been seeing Senor Lester" he said watching her reaction

"How?" Steph gasped

"Oh Carina it is me who has been keeping your secret safe. I have seen you sneak in and out of Senor Santos room. I scrambled the camera's" he said winking

"SHIT THE CAMERAS! I always forget this building is rigged you'd think after all these years"

"Yes you are doing that but Senor Santos should know better but he is so in love with you he don't know them either" Hector said

"Ranger?"

"He don't know I take care of tapes. I loyal to Mr. Ranger but your heart no belong to him anymore" Hector said

"Thank you Hector"

"Your welcome. Now no more tears oh and tell Senor Lester about Bambino I think he will be happy" he told her and for a second time Stephanie gasped

"How did you know?"

Hector winked "your secrets are safe with me Carina"

"STEPH YOU DOWN HERE?" Lester called out

"Let him love on you. It is safe"

Steph watched as Hector disappeared behind a stairwell door then heard heavy booted footsteps coming to her. Looking behind her she saw Lester come into view.

"Steph I've been looking everywhere for you" Lester said sitting down next to her

"Hold me please" she said falling into a surprised Lester


	23. Chapter 23

Lester pulled Steph close to him and locked his arms around her. He didn't understand anything that was going on but he was going to do whatever she asked of him to do. Lately to Lester it seemed that he and Stephs relationship had been put to the test and here sitting with her in his arms seemed somehow to draw them closer together.

"Lester have you ever just wanted to go back to the beginning?" Steph asked cuddled to his chest

"Depends on what beginning we are talking about"

"Id like to go back to the cabin" she said closing her eyes as Lester combed thru her hair

"Really? Back to all that cold and snow?"

"Steph moaned as Lester messaged her scalp and neck "mmmmhmmm"

"Really?" he smirked knowing just what to do to get her to relax

"Yea, there would be no Joe which isn't a problem at all but also no Ranger, no RangeMan, and or…"

"Or?" Lester asked

"I love you Lester"

"Baby I love you too" he said bringing her chin up

Lester pushed his mouth to Stephanie's getting a moan from her as his lips moved slowly over hers. Placing both hands onto her face, Lester deeply kissed her slipping his tongue into her mouth. After thoroughly kissing her and hoping that he conveyed they the kiss that he truly loved her and was there for her, Lester pulled back and just stared into her eyes.

Stephanie craving his touch moved and placed herself between his legs. Holding her to him, Lester swept his fingers over her cheek.

"Don't close your eyes" he said as they fluttered closed "your eyes are so beautiful"

"Make love to me"

"Steph?" he questioned

"Please Lester, I need to feel your hands on me, I need to feel you inside of me, I need you"

"Here?" he asked

Stephanie moved herself so that she was sitting on her knees in front of Lester. Staring at him in the eyes, Steph slid her hands into his hair and pulled him to her, claiming his mouth in a hungry fiery kiss.

"Yes" she told him as she pulled back to see he was gripping her hip with his hands and his eyes were black as night.

Lester stood up and pulled his jeans down to reveal his hard throbbing erection. Pulling Steph to her feet he freed her of her jeans and panties. Sitting back down on the step he was on he pulled Steph to straddle his lap.

"Not a sound" he said as he slid into her

Gripping his shoulders, Steph gasped and tossed her head back when Lester pulled up her sweat shirt and bra and latched onto a nipple. Gripping her hips he moved her on him causing gasps and moans to come from her.

"Oh God Yes Ohh Les"

"Hush Steph everyone will hear us" he warned her going to her neck

"HARDER LES PLEASE BABY I NEED YOU"

"Steph you really got to be quiet" he told her again

"OH GOD" Steph cried out sliding up and down Lester's slick member

Knowing she was about to go over the edge, Lester knew from experience that Steph was not going to be quiet and he had to think of something quick. Stephanie locked her arms around Lester's neck and ground herself down hard on him. Looking at her with her eyes squinched tightly closed, Lester knew it was time.

"KISS ME" he commanded

"What?"

"KISS ME" he told her again

"Can't.. I'm..cu…OHH"

Lester yanked her head down to him and kissed her. As he did Steph let out a scream which was muted as she bucked and squirmed on top of him. Feeling her relax he let himself go and then held her to him.

"Lester I…" Steph tried to say but the words just wouldn't come

"Shhhh Baby, its ok I know. Why don't I take you to dinner later and watch a movie with you on your couch. NO problems, no cases, No RangeMan issues just you and me. Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect" she told him as they smiled at each other

Lester leaned down to kiss Stephanie again when a door a ways up above them swung open with a bang. Hearing footsteps on the stairs they quickly jumped apart and dressed. Watching as the steps got closer they saw Ranger coming down to them. His eyes on them as he neared.

"Santos, Babe what are you two doing in here?" he asked looking from one to the other

"After what happened in the meeting I couldn't find Steph. I was concerned"

"Looks like you found her" he said looking at her as she kept her eyes to the floor

"Yea"

"Steph id like to talk to you some more in my office, but I'll be gone the rest of the day. Are you free for dinner?" he asked

"Sorry I've made plans"

"I'll get you soon" he said sweeping passed her. Both Stephanie and Lester looked at each other knowing he meant more with his statement than just the words

"Let it go" Steph said placing a palm onto Lester's chest

"One of these days Steph"

"Pow to the moon?" she asked grinning a little

"You're not funny. Come on ill take you home so you can nap and get ready for dinner, you look so tired"

"I'm just really drained all of the sudden" she said moving to his waiting arms

After hugging her a few minutes, Lester moved an arm around her waist and guided her down the last remaining steps to the garage. Getting Steph to her apartment he pulled her close and slowly kissed her goodbye.

"I'll be back around six thirty"

"What are you going to do until then? This was really your day off" she asked

"I'm just going back to RangeMan and hang out"

"Ok" Steph said yawning

"Go on up Baby and rest I'll see you in a little while"

Stephanie leaned in and kissed Lester on more time "love you" she told him caressing his cheek with her thumb and then slid out of the car getting a smirk from Lester in return. Steph watched as he swung the SUV out of her lot and headed back towards RangeMan.


	24. Chapter 24

After a long satisfying nap, Steph shed her clothes and took her robe that was draped over her chair into the bathroom. Turning the knobs in her tub, she sat the tempature of the water just how she liked it, placing the robe on the back of the door, she stepped in and let the water wash over her body.

Stepping out when she was finished, Steph grabbed her towel so that she could dry off. Wrapping her towel around her hair afterward, Steph pulled her well worn robe off the door and around her now chilled body. Opening the bathroom door, Stephanie walked into her bedroom and over to her bed. Sitting down on the side of her bed she loosened the ties to her robe and pulled it away from her belly.

"I'm sorry" she softly spoke rubbing her hand over her stomach

"I guess I've known from the start you were in there, but to be honest I really was hoping you weren't. That doesn't mean I don't want you its just very complicated. I love your daddy very very much and you'll probably love him too. I'm sorry I haven't told him about you yet again it's very complicated" Steph said looking down at her small baby bump

"I know you can't understand and can't hear me, but I'll try to explain why I've made some decisions about you and your daddy. You see I used to be totally in love with your daddy's boss, his name is Ranger. Ranger is a good man but he is also very scary and dark, I suppose your daddy and all his friends are too but Ranger you just know so. One day three months ago Ranger asked me if I would go and make sure this cabin was ok. It wasn't a hard assignment, just look around, make sure it's secure, and come home. There were storm warnings all week for a blizzard and by the time your daddy and I got there it was snowing pretty hard and when we wanted to leave we were snowed in. Your daddy and I got to talking and I told him about how I felt about ranger but that Ranger wouldn't fully commit to anything. Your dad asked me for the time we spent in the cabin to love him and we did. I guess one of the times we loved each other you were made" she said patting her tummy

"Anyways your dad and I came to an agreement that once we were back home we would act like nothing ever had happened with each other. It seemed like an ok plan but I had fallen in love with dad but I didn't know it yet or I just wouldn't face it. We agreed to this because of Ranger, even though he made it clear he couldn't give me a relationship he is possessive and I was considered his. That's why we are so secretive because Ranger is capable of things and I don't want you daddy hurt. I love your daddy and it's just a very complicated mess. So please bear with me as I get used to you inside of me and becoming your mom, and please lighten up on the puking. I'm trying to keep you quiet but your making it hard" Steph spoke

"Oh and don't worry about that slime Jennea, I won't get picked there's hundreds of girl more prettier" she said

"Babe"

"HOLY SHIT!" Steph yelped yanking her robe around her "how long have you been standing there?" she asked an amused looking Ranger

"Just got here. Who you talking to?"

"Myself" Stephanie said tieing her robe ties tight around her

"Getting a bad habit Babe"

"Like I said as long as I don't answer myself I'm ok" she said looking up at him "what's up?"

"Nothing wanted to see you"

Stephanie locked eyes with Ranger and saw his eyes were dark to where they were almost black. She watched as he raked his eyes over her and gave her a small smirk. Steph began to panic and he came to her and pulled her turbaned towel off her head.

"Curls are back" he said as the fell around her

"Yea"

"Always loved your curls"

"Ranger" she said

"What Babe?"

"What are you doing?" she asked as he sat down by her on the bed

"I miss you"

"You see me every day at work" she told him getting up and grabbing clothes from her dresser

"I miss us" he said his mouth finding her neck

"There is no us. I asked you to and you wouldn't accept"

"You love me, you said so" he told her

"Yes and a part of me still and probably always will, but you made it clear you can't or won't give me what I need or want"

"We can still have fun Babe" Ranger said

"No. Now I have to get ready, my dinner date will be here soon"

"Who is it?" He asked

"If you must know its Lester. We are friends and he asked me because of how upset I was today and I accepted"

Steph saw something flash across Rangers eyes.

"Les and I have grown close ever since the cabin which you sent us too and got us snowed in" she said to him

"I didn't think it would be that bad. Weather people are wrong all the time and as for today in the meeting I asked you if something was up and you said nothing, so I asked Brown"

"Babe we are in this Jennea case I have to know that you're ok to do it"

"I am" Steph rolled her eyes "anyways I'm not going to be picked"

"We'll see. If not than RangeMan will have to come up with something else"

"Ok well I'm fine to do whatever and now if you'll excuse me Lester will be coming soon" she told him going over to her bathroom

"Santos"

"He's my friend, he means nothing to me other than that" she said as a pang went thru her as she said it

Ranger reached out for her but Stephanie jumped away. She saw him smile his almost smile and turn to walk out her door.

"I'll see you" he said over his shoulder and she heard the front door close

Letting out a deep breath, Stephanie slumped against the bathroom door jamb. Taking a few minutes to collect herself she finally moved to get dressed and get ready for her date with Lester.


	25. Chapter 25

Placing his gun into his waistband of his jeans, Lester grabbed a light weight jacket for the cool spring night. Stepping out of his apartment he checked his watch to make sure he wasn't going to be late, punching the elevator button he waited for it to arrive. When the door opened for Lester to get on he was surprised to see Ranger leaning against the elevator's wall.

"Santos" Ranger greeted

"Oh your going up I was heading down"

"Its just three floors" Ranger coolly said

"Yea" Lester said deciding to ride with Ranger instead of letting the elevator go up and come back down

"Where you taking Steph?"

"Uhhh" Lester replied looking like a deer caught in the headlights. How did he know?

"I just came back from seeing Stephanie, she told me about you coming to take her out to dinner"

"Yea" Lester told him trying not to show any of his anger because he had been with Steph "she was upset on how you treated her today at the meeting, so I asked if I could take her to dinner"

"I know"

"You really hurt her" Lester said it eating at him

"None of your business Santos"

"She wasn't going to answer truthfully and Jennea is a huge case"

"You could have pulled her and Bobby aside or something" Lester told him as the car dinged on the seventh floor

"Had to be dealt with. Everyone saw her run out of the room, it wasn't a secret" Ranger said as he moved passed Lester "Have a good date Santos but don't try anything. I don't share" he said as the door slid to

Lester stood there inside the elevator car trying to will himself to punch the G button that would take him to the garage. Feeling his anger take over he punched the number seven and the door slid open to show Ranger taking his key fob and keys out of his pocket.

"Where do you get off telling me to not do anything with Stephanie? He asked as Ranger turned around and glared at him

"Santos"

"No you have no right. Steph told me everything. Right after she asked you to be with her she came to me and told me she asked you to love her and you wouldn't. She loved you; she told me so in the cabin. She wanted you to ask her to be more than just a play thing, but you couldn't or wouldn't" Lester said confronting him

"Santos I suggest you stop"

"I know you and Steph aren't together, she told me that you all were done. She realized she was just yours and Joe's pet being passed back and forth whenever you all had an itch. She deserves to be treated so much better than she has been, by someone free with no baggage"

"Like you huh?" Ranger asked his anger rising

"If she wants Yes and she is free to choose so"

"You're far from perfect Santos. You have been with women onto of women" he told him

"I may have but I treated each of them like they were mine and the only one. I never strung her along for years like you have Steph"

"Leave now and still be able to have and enjoy dinner, but continue and ill consider it a personal challenge" Ranger said his face going dark and his voice eerily calm

Lester decided it would be best to back down for now. He felt and knew that what he said caused Ranger to think. Lester hoped he'd realize Steph no longer was under his thumb and could choose to see someone else if she wanted, and she had. Backing off Lester slipped into the elevator and hit the button for the garage. When the elevator descended Ranger let out a dark primal animal scream and punched the wall next to him.

Peeling out of the RangeMan garage, Lester was seething. He punched his foot to the gas and darted in and out and around slower moving cars. Gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white, he turned into Stephanie's apartment building on two screeching wheels. When he finally stopped and pulled into a space his phone rang, picking it up he saw it was Steph.

"Hey we still going out?" she asked

"Yea sorry I got held up by someone. I'm actually in your lot"

"What's wrong you sound like your pissed or something" Steph asked hearing his harsh tones

"Just a comment someone made. It's nothing I'm on my way up"

"Just stay there i'll come down" she told him grabbing her keys and jacket

"K"

Lester flipped his phone closed and laid his head back against the trucks head rests. He was trying to get himself under control before Stephanie came out the door of her apartment building. He did not want Steph to worry or freak out about Ranger and he also didn't want to scare her with his anger either. He knew Steph probably knew he was a violent man if there was a need to be but she had never really seen what he was really capable of.

Breathing a little calmer, Lester jumped out of the truck and walked around to the passenger's side and leaned onto the truck as he waited for Steph to come out. Finally after a few minutes he spotted her pushing the glass door of her building open and bounced out letting it swing close behind her. Lester watched as she walked toward him giving him a sexy smile as she approached. The more she came to him the more Lester heard Ranger's words about not doing anything to her and how he didn't share ring in his mind. When Steph was in front of him he saw her smile fall and confusion come across her beautiful face.

"Les why do you look like you could murder me at any second?" she cautiously asked

"Steph I love you"

"I love you too" she said wondering what was going on

"Do you really? Do you really love me? There is no one else but me you want?"

"Lester I love you. There is no one I love or want but you" she said a little scared at how Lester was acting

Lester pulled Stephanie to him and claimed her lips with his in a bruising kiss. After the kiss, Lester held her tight in his arms as he laid his chin on top of her head.

"I love you Steph with all my heart" he told her

"Lester I love you, what's going on? What's wrong?" she asked scared something bad was going on

"Nothing now beautiful. This night is about us. Let's go to dinner I'm starving"

Lester kissed Stephanie one last time before he opened the trucks door for her to get in. Watching as Lester jogged around the truck to his side, she wondered again what really had Lester in this weird mood that he was in.

"Les you sure everything is ok?" She asked as he put the truck into gear and backed out

"Yes everything fine" he said smiling while mentally telling Ranger HA! Take that she loves me.


	26. Chapter 26

While Stephanie and Lester were across town enjoying their time together, Ranger came out of his bedroom freshly showered and just in a pair of black track pants. He stalked into his kitchen and grabbed the bottle wine he had in the fridge. Pouring a glass out for himself he gulped it down and poured himself a second one. Picking up his glass, Ranger turned off all the lights and headed for his office, sitting down in his big leather chair he booted up his personal computer.

Watching as his screen lit up, he took a sip of wine as he touched his finger to the mouse pad causing the arrow to move across the screen. Locating what he wanted, Ranger clicked the icon and a slew of thing opened up and filled his screen. Clicking the thumbnails of the pictures, Ranger brought them up life size so he could scan over them.

"Babe" he said looking over picture after picture of Steph in all different settings. Ones with his men and a lot alone in different jobs she had performed. Stroking a few keys the pictures she had done for the Jennea case came up onto the computer. Adding them to his collection, Ranger studied the one that as the camera had clicked she had given Lester a sultry pose.

While Ranger silently tormented himself, Lester wrapped his arm around Stephanie's waist and led her out of the restaurant to his truck. Stepping into her, Stephanie leaned against the trucks door.

"You sure you ate enough?" Lester asked

"Yea those olives and blue cheese dressing was awesome"

"Kinda weird you got a salad with your meal" Lester said

"I'm sorry was I not supposed to?"

"No steph its ok, it's just we've ate here before and you never got the salad bar before and what's weirder THAT'S what you ate most of" he said

"When I walked by they just said eat me. I had to have them and they were so good"

"I lost count of how many times you went back for" Lester laughed

"Don't laugh at me Lester Santos, just because I'm preg…." Steph said putting her head against his chest

"What?"

"Nothing" she said closing her eyes and inhaling his sent

Steph slid her hands around Lester's waist and smiled up at him. Another thing that she had been dealing with was her hormones and right now Lester's musky sent was driving her crazy. Lester opened his mouth to say something but Stephanie brought a hand up and shhhed him. Bringing his head down, Steph slowly began to kiss him.

"Mmmmmm nice" Lester said slowly breaking the kiss

"Yea"

Stephanie leaned back up and kissed Lester again, this time with a little more force. Pushing her in to the truck, their mouths, tongues, and hands battled for control.

"Steph"

"Hmmm?"

"HOME NOW!" Lester commanded as he opened the door to his truck and ran around to the other side to jump in.

On their ride back to Stephanie's apartment, Steph scooted close to Lester and was kissing his neck and rubbing him thru his dress pants.

"Baby your wild tonight"

"Want me to stop?" Steph asked giving him a squeeze

"God no"

Stephanie smirked at driving Lester crazy for a change, she was no slouch in the bedroom, but she never was this uninhibited and start something out in the open like that. Lester slammed the truck into park and grabbed Stephs head and kissed her a furious kiss.

"I need you now" he told her yanking her out of the truck

Steph laughed as he grabbed her hand and they ran across her lot into her building. She had turned Lester on and had done it good, maybe a little too good. Once inside Stephanie's apartment, Lester backed her up to the door, his eyes black with desire. Taking her mouth with his he cocked her knee up on his hip.

"Bedroom" Steph gasped out

Lester picked Stephanie up and she slid her other leg around him. Walking into her bedroom he let her slide to her knees before him on her bed. Locking eyes with him steph moved a hand behind her back and unzipped her dress and removed it from her body. When Lester saw what she had on underneath her dress his eyes nearly bugged out of his head.

"You had that on the entire time we were out tonight?" he asked as Stephanie ran her hands up Lester's chest and began to unbutton his shirt

"Uhh huh"

"God Steph" he moaned as she smiled and kissed his chest

Stephanie Plum stood before him on her knees in a dark purple spaghetti strapped baby doll nighty. The bra cups of the nighty was the same dark purple only in lace, the dress of the nighty was sheer. Underneath Steph wore a pair of dark purple lace boy shorts that rode higher than the normal boy shorts.

"Approve?"

"Oh yes" Lester growled out "I can't keep my hand off you" he told her as they cupped and squeezed her ass

"They don't have too"

Lester captured Stephs mouth in a searing kiss as he laid her down on the bed and came over her. Breaking away he stared into her beautiful glittering blue eyes.

"I need you Steph"

"Then take me. I'm all yours" she told him

Hearing her consent Lester yanked Stephs nighty off her and attacked each of her breasts. When he began to wonder down near her stomach, Stephanie pulled him back up and kissed him as she pulled off his shirt and went for his belt.

Once free of all clothes, Lester slipped himself into Stephanie making her arch into him and let out a long sigh. Moving slow and deep, Steph began to beg for him to speed up and take her. When Lester complied Steph laid her head back and shouted.

"OH GOD I LOVE YOU LESTER SANTOS"

Hearing her confession gave Lester a jolt of fuel and he picked up his pace slamming into her again and again. Stephanie cried out as her orgasm ripped thru her triggering Lester's release.

"Damn Beautiful" Lester said thru huffs and puffs

Steph cuddled herself into Lester as he lay on his back naked on her bed. He stroked her back in small circles with a smile on his face. Ranger didn't just satisfy her, it wasn't HIM she begged for, it was all Lester. Kissing her head Lester let out a contented sigh.


	27. Chapter 27

Eventually making it into the living room, Steph and Lester sat cuddled half dressed together on the couch watching and old black and white movie. Steph was dressed only in Lester's button down dress shirt and Lester just had put his pants back on. Hugging her with his arms around her waist, Steph sighed and laid her head on his chest.

After the movie was over, Stephanie turned in Lester's arms so that she was facing him. Leaning up she softly kissed him.

"Steph really?" Lester asked as she straddled his legs

"I can't seem to get enough of you. I need and want to feel your hands on me"

"Wow"

"You can't?" she asked showing him disappointment

"It's not that, but this will be three times today and you have started each and every one of them"

"Complaining?" she asked sucking on his neck

"Mmmm No"

"And while we were in the cabin we spent a lot of time exploring , so I think three isn't a record" Steph said running her hand down to cup his hardening member

"You're insatiable"

Lester opened a few buttons on his shirt to reveal Stephanie's breasts as she lowered the zipper and then popped open the button on his pants to set him free. Placing his hands on her hips, Steph sat up some so Lester could guide her down on him. When she was they both let out a satisfied groan.

"This feels so good, you feel so good" Stephanie told him as she began to move

"I know and you do too"

Lester let Stephanie set the pace; this was more for her than it was for him. Letting Steph ride him and kiss on him a while, Lester began to want to take control. Holding off as much as he could he finally flipped her onto her back with a squeal and began to really move in and out of her. After a few good orgasms, Lester and Steph laid tangled together on the couch huffing and puffing but sated.

"Wanna go again?" she asked

"Baby"

"I'm just kidding" she said laughing as her phone began to ring

"Whoever it is really wants you"

"Guess I should look to see who it is" Steph said as she stood up buttoning a few buttons back on Lester's shirt

"Anyone important?" Lester asked seeing Steph read the screen on her phone

She sighed "four missed calls from Ranger" she told him as she punched the code in for her voicemail

Lester grabbed his phone in Stephanie's bedroom to see if Ranger had been trying to get a hold of him. Looking at his screen he saw that there were no missed calls. Thinking it was odd that he didn't call if something was going down he started to walk back out to check on Stephanie.

"Ranger didn't call me. Did he leave you a message?" Lester asked finding her sitting on the couch

"Yea, he said there was some movement on the Jennea thing and to get you and be over to RangeMan ASAP!"

"Ok. We'll get dressed and head over" Lester told her looking down at her

"Les"

"Yea?" he asked

"Ranger knew you were here"

"Yes we both told him that I was coming over to take you out tonight" he told her

"Its ten thirty now. He would know that dinner was hours ago and what do you mean we BOTH told him?"

"Steph Ranger was in the elevator when I was leaving tonight he said he was here and that you told him you were going out with me"

"What about being ten thirty?"

"I really don't care what he thinks anymore" Lester told her thinking back to Ranger telling him to not touch her

"Les"

"Go get dressed" he told her before he would have to explain his defiant attitude towards Ranger

Once Steph was dressed and they had made their way over to RangeMan, Lester gave Steph one last kiss before getting out of the truck. Standing side by side waiting on the elevator, Lester gave Steph a wink which caused her to smile back.

"Conference room" Tank said as he met them coming off the elevator

"Ok I'm gonna grab some coffee first, Beautiful?"

"Uhh yea with cream"

Lester walked into the kitchen to grab two cups of coffee before the meeting with Ranger started. While he was walking his mind went back to the night he just had with Stephanie and a smile ear to ear split across his face. Grabbing two RangeMan mugs from the cabinet he filled them both with coffee adding a little milk to one.

"Woooo someone got laid tonight" Hal said coming into the kitchen

"What are you talking about?"

"You Santos. Smiling ear to ear only one thing makes a man smile like that" he told him

Lester remained silent but the times with Stephanie kept coming back into his mind and his smile only widened letting Hal know he was right in his assumptions.

"So who was the lucky lady? Was it the red head, or was it the Brunette? Ohh I know I bet it was that blond you met at the hospital that time" Hal grinning like a fool asked

"Yea Santos who was your conquest tonight? Do tell us about your playboy ways" Steph said causing Lester to spin around, mouth wide, and coffee sloshing in the cups


	28. Chapter 28

Steph just laughed at the condition she just caused Lester to be in. Walking over to him she locked eyes with him before plucking the lighter of the two coffees from his hands. Looking over at Hal as she took a sip she saw he had paled at being caught talking about being laid.

"Uh him going to the meeting" Hal announced walking out as fast as he could

"That was mean sneaking up on me like that"

"I didn't sneak. I simply walked in and heard you two talking" Steph told him taking another sip and making a face

"I was bringing you your coffee and what's with the face?"

"Ranger was having some tech issues on getting the computer to show on the overhead, so I thought I just come and get it which tastes bad" she told him

Lester took the cup from her hand, brought it to his lips, and took a sip. Stephanie watched to see him make a face but he didn't. Handing the coffee back to her, Lester told her that it tasted fine to him.

"There is something wrong with the coffee" she declared

"Steph I tasted it and it was fine"

"BOBBY" Lester called out seeing him walking towards the meeting

"Yea? Oh hey Steph"

"Bobby can you take a drink of Stephanie's coffee and let her know if it's ok or not?" Lester asked

"Steph?" he asked

"Sure go ahead"

"It's ok, I just don't put milk in mine but it tastes fine" Bobby told them

"See? Just as I told you" Lester said

"Yea, yea"

"Guess we should get to the meeting. Ranger hates anyone being late for them" Lester told them

"I'll be there in a minute" Steph said walking towards the door "I just need to use the bathroom"

As Lester walked down and went into the conference room, Steph held back and called for Bobby as he was just about to enter the room. Looking up the hall he saw Steph motion for him to come to her. Looking into the conference room and seeing Ranger talking to Tank, Bobby jogged up to Steph asking her if she was ok.

"How are you doing Steph? You were upset the last time I saw you" he told her

"Well that's what I wanted to talk to you about actually"

"Ok" he said

"Bobby I'm sorry for running out like that" she told him

"Its ok Steph I understand. It's a scary time for you and everything's changing"

"Yea, I can't drink coffee anymore and I'm so tired, upset, hungry, sick" she said and felt Bobby pull her into his arms for a hug

"It's ok Steph your hormones are just going everywhere because of the baby. I was just reading on this in fact"

"I'm sorry for dragging you into this. I know it's hard on you to keep something secret from the rest" she said

"It's thru that thanks to you I've had to broaden my horizons and be out of my comfort zone, but I'll help in any way I can"

"Thank you Bobby"

"Anytime. I'd like for you to come see me if you can later for a checkup"

"I can after the meeting" she said stepping out of his arms

"Ok. I guess we should get to said meeting"

"Yea"

Stephanie and Bobby took their places around the table in the conference room. In front of them was their file folders on Jennea and laying on top of them was a piece of paper. Ranger opened the meeting by going into the fake email that RangeMan had set up for the case.

"I was checking this before going to bed when I came across this. You all have a hard copy in front of you and that's why you all are sitting here now" Ranger told them

Stephanie took the paper into her hands and began reading. It was directions to a place and an appointment time for eight thirty P.M Monday night. Stephanie looked around the table and then back to Ranger.

"I don't understand" she said "it's just directions and a time"

"Yea Babe"

"What does it mean?" she asked

"Beautiful you got in" Lester told her

"What?"

"Steph come here" Ranger told her

Steph slid back in her chair and walked to the head of the table. Once she was there, Ranger stood up giving her his chair to sit in, kneeling in front of her he placed a hand onto her cheek and caressed it with his thumb.

"Babe you were picked"


	29. Chapter 29

Stephanie couldn't believe her ears. Out of all the girls that probably tried to get noticed, she was picked as one of Trenton's best. Laying her hands on her stomach she looked at Ranger who was now crouched down in front of her. He was talking but all she could see was his mouth moving but nothing was coming out. A strong sick feeling came over her but not because of the pregnancy, but because she never in her life thought she stood a chance at being picked.

"Me?" she asked finally finding her voice

"Yes Babe. You got in, this was what we all hoped for, and this is what we needed"

"But me?" she asked again

"Steph you are beautiful. Jennea would be a fool not to pick you"

Stephanie looked around the room at the core RangeMan team sitting there and saw the adoration in their eyes staring back at her. The words Bobby and Lester had told her came back full force hitting her like a ton of bricks.

"They all love you Steph and would love to be right where I'm at "Lester told her before

"I have feelings for you Steph and so does everyone else" she remembered Bobby telling her when she went to him the first time for help

Stephanie turned back to ranger and tears fell down her cheeks. Lester watched as Ranger wiped them with his thumbs while cupping her cheeks in his hands. Fisting his hands into tight balls, Lester willed himself to remain calm as he watched Ranger touch his girlfriend.

"Bombshell you should be happy" Tank spoke to everyone surprise

Steph looked over at him

"Jennea told you what we all knew to be true, you're beautiful. Take happiness in knowing you beat out a lot of other women" he told her

"But he wants to sell me to third world countries as a sex slave"

"But he won't" Ranger cut in "since we got the directions to where his so called shoot is, I'll have a team go out there tomorrow and rig the building for video and sound. Steph I'll be right there with you, he won't lay a hand on you I swear. You trust us right?"

"Yes with my life"

Lester's heart swelled with love and pride when he heard Steph say she trusted them with her life, but he was also concerned and confused. Lester had been out with Stephanie on countless distractions and he had never seen her this upset before, even when a skip got a little too rough. Furrowing his brows he continued to watch her as she continued to be freaked out about this assignment.

"Stephanie are you ok?" Lester asked watching her look up, lock eyes with him, and then turns to face him

"Yea I'm ok, I just know this is a huge case and I'm shocked I was actually picked"

Steph watched as Lester got out of his seat and walked up to where she sat with Ranger. Her eyes widened as Lester crouched down and turned her towards him. He knew he was taking a huge risk by doing what he was doing but he needed to comfort his girlfriend and let her know he was there and nothing was going to hurt her. Getting death glares from Ranger, Lester slid his hands onto Stephs hips and looked into her big, watery blue eyes.

"Beautiful" he started "that sleaze ball picked you because he sees what I see every time I look at you, you're beautiful Steph. You're not just beautiful; you're hot and sexy too"

"SANTOS" Ranger warned

Stephanie cut her eyes over to Ranger and saw the dark look he had trained on Lester. Turning her eyes back to Lester she tried the silent communication thing they all seemed to be able to do with each other. She was trying to tell him thru her eyes to stop, that Ranger was getting pissed and that this was why they were keeping secret.

"Beautiful I swear i'll be right there outside, listening to every word that's said between you and him" Lester told her

Stephanie felt Ranger move into his side and could feel the tension radiation off his body. There was this calm that had settled over the room and it scared her. She knew she needed to stop Lester or he was about to feel Rangers wrath. Pushing down the fear she felt about being pregnant and learning she was picked to be a sex slave, Steph smiled at Lester and leaned forward to give him a loving hug.

"Ok now that my stupid break down is over let's do this" she said breaking from Lester's embrace and standing up

"Babe it's ok to be scared. There nothing stupid about it" Ranger told her cupping her cheek

Standing behind Steph, Lester ground his teeth as Ranger touched her. Stephanie shook her head in acknowledgement and asked what she needed to do. Ranger placed a hand on her lower back and guided her back to the chair she was just in.

"Send Jennea a reply back telling him thank you and maybe gush about being picked and a wonderful opportunity and confirm you'll be there at your date and time" Ranger told her

"Ok"

Steph sat back down in the chair she was just in and pulled the laptop to herself. Thinking for a minute she put her fingers to the keys and began to type. With everyone focused on reading what Stephanie was typing behind her, they all failed to notice Bobby disgustingly toss his pen on the table and walk out of the room mumbling something that sounded a lot like stupid.


	30. Chapter 30

Slamming his apartment door behind him, the usually calm, cool, collected Bobby Brown picked up his TV remote and threw it across the room. Watching it hit the wall and fall into the floor, Bobby stalked off to his examining room where he picked up his medic bag and began angrily shoving supplies into it.

"STUPID. She's so stupid. If I didn't like her so much id wring her ever loving neck" he ranted

Twenty minutes later he heard a soft knock on his door and knew it was Stephanie. Not going to answer it, Steph stuck her head in and called out his name.

"What?" he asked watching her step inside after finally seeing him drinking a beer in his small kitchen

"You want one?" he asked her taking a swig "I have a couple more in the fridge"

"You know I can't drink anything like that"

"Why not?" he asked her

"Because Bobby it would be very harmful to the baby. Bobby you all this"

"But it's ok to put yourself in a room alone with a man and others that want to drug you and ship you off to be someone's sex toy?" he asked

"Bobby"

"It's stupid Steph. This man preys on unsuspecting women. They all trust him because she shoots supermodels. They dont realize he's the devil incarnate and they disappear never to be seen or heard of again. This is no joke Stephanie and I've warned you several times" Bobby told her

"God Bobby I know" she said flopping down on his couch "why do you think I really broke down in the meeting? I never thought I would be picked"

"I warned you about that too"

"I'm so fucked up this is so fucked up" she said placing her hands over her face

"It don't have to be"

"How's that? You're my only friend in this Bobby the only one I can talk to about any of this" she said

"Tell the truth. Come clean and tell Ranger that you're pregnant"

Steph looked over at Bobby who came to sit next to her on his couch. She knew he thought the baby was Rangers, how shocked he'd be probably if he knew this was really Lester's baby.

"Steph you came to me for help. When you go to your regular doctor you follow his or her instructions right? Well as your doctor in this case you need to set yourself free. You are pregnant and with that and the symptoms of the pregnancy and all this hiding, lying, and sneaking around this is not good at all for the both of you"

"What about Jennea?" she asked "I'm in too deep. Rangers expecting me to do it and Jennea is really expecting me. Its Monday night and this is Saturday night"

Bobby sighed "You know what Steph, I've told you what I think is the best. Do what you want." He said getting up and walking away from her

"NO! Bobby please, I need you" Steph panicked and ran after him

"What for Steph?"

"I need you to keep me safe, be there with Ranger and Lester in case something goes wrong. I need you to save me and my baby" she cried "please don't abandon me"

Stephanie turned so her side was showing to Bobby. He stood there and watched as tears fell down her cheeks. Wanting to walk away and wanting to still be pissed at her, Bobby found himself slowly walking to her; he just couldn't stand to see her cry. Bobby wrapped his large arms around her and Steph sank into his body.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for putting you thru this. I know this is wrong but I'm in too deep, I can't just bow out. Please Bobby don't leave me" she cried

"Shhh. Steph I love you, you know that right?"

"Yea and I love you too" she sniffed

"I'll never abandon you. I was already going to be there"

"I'm sorry Bobby" she told him again

"It's ok. We'll deal somehow"

Bobby led Stephanie back over to his couch where he held her some more. He knew this was wrong but he didn't know how to make her quit. He vowed to himself that he was going to make sure she was safe somehow, when she was in that place with that sick twisted Bastard of a rat photographer.


	31. Chapter 31

While Steph was upstairs trying to keep her friendship with Bobby together, Lester stood at the big picture window in the darkened conference room, staring out at the rain that now was falling over Trenton. His mind kept telling him that something was going on with the woman that he loved, but he just couldn't put anything together that would add up to the extreme bizarre behaviors that Steph had been showing. Feeling the air around him change and a reflection pass by in the window, he sighed when arms circled around his torso and a head laid against his back.

"Whatcha doing?" Stephanie asked feeling Lester's hand cover hers

"Looking out the window trying to figure something out"

"I've done that myself anything I can help with?" she asked

Lester took his hands from his body and turned to face her. He cupped her cheek in his hand and searched her eyes for anything that would tell him what was going on.

"Lester?" Steph asked seeing him in such deep thought

"Stephanie what's going on?"

"Going on?" she asked confusion etching her face

"Steph I love you with everything I have but I know and can feel something isn't right here. I've known you for a long time, I've been on distractions and takedown with you, and I've never seen you fall apart like I have these last few weeks."

Stephanie adverted her eyes to the floor "Lester nothing's wrong. I've told you and Ranger over and over that I'm fine. Why won't you guys believe me?"

"Because Steph like I said you get spooked a little but never to one extreme to the next like you have been lately. For crying out loud you jumped Ranger in the last meeting we had and the break down today, it's just not you baby. Steph whatever it is please tell me, I'll always love you"

"Ranger did that to himself he was asking questions and talking about me as if I wasn't there, I was sitting right next to Bobby. And as for tonight I didn't think I'd be picked so when I was it hit me the reality of it. I'm sorry I showed any weakness" she said rising her voice and octave and being snippy

"Its ok, I'm just concerned about.. About you"

"Speaking of tonight what were you thinking about when you pulled that stunt?" Steph asked putting her hands on her hips

"What stunt?"

"Coming to me, putting your hands on me, saying those words to me" she said

"You're my girlfriend and I saw my girlfriend in distress and I comforted her, why? Because I love her and should comfort her"

"I saved your ass. Ranger was about to murder you until I hugged you and stood up to tell him let's do it"

"Steph im not going to let Ranger run me anymore. I don't care anymore" he told her

"Lester"

"No Steph. I'm a strong man physically and I'm trained just like Ranger. Right now though my emotional well being isn't so good. There's something wrong with my girlfriend and the fact I can't go to her and wrap my arms around her when I see her in pain, well not anymore and if Ranger has something he wants to say about it, then let him"

Stephanie sighed a big sigh and turned her back on Lester. Not going to let her shut him out, Lester came up to her and wrapped his arms around her holding her tight against his chest.

"I'm going to be here for you baby because I love you and that's what you're supposed to do for each other when you're in love" Lester told her as he dropped a kiss to her cheek

Closing her eyes, Steph relaxed into Lester. Never had Joe or Ranger ever been this open and say such loving words to her. Turning around in his arms Steph leaned up and the two shared a sweet meaningful kiss.

"Is it Cancer?" Lester asked laying his forehead against hers

"Huh? What?"

"Is that it? Is that what Bobby found and you feel you can't tell me?"He asked watching her break away and turn from him

"NOO! No"

"Then Steph what is it?" Lester asked

"I'm…."

"SANTOS COME ON KINGS AT THE FISH WE NEED YOUR HELP" Cal called sticking his head in the conference room door

"Sighing " Steph I gotta go, since we'll all be out go on up and sleep in my apartment I'll be back later and join you"

"Be careful"

"I will, I love you" Lester said kissing her and running out to catch up with his team


	32. Chapter 32

A little after three AM, Lester slipped into his darkened apartment. He made it over and sat his tired body onto his couch, wanting nothing more than to strip off his shoes and gear and crawl into bed with Stephanie. Sitting there dozing after he had shucked his shoes off, Lester willed himself to stand and unclip his utility belt. After laying it on the couch he dragged himself down his small hallway to his bedroom.

"Steph you awake? It's only me I'm home" he called out so she wouldn't think someone was breaking in on her, but he got no response

Flipping the bathroom light on that was located right across from his bedroom, he smiled as he turned back seeing Steph in just enough light to see she was asleep in his bed. Her curly brown hair all wild and splayed across the pillow she was asleep on. Walking over to his dresser, Lester began to take off his clothes starting with his watch. As he tossed it on top of the dresser, Steph rolled over onto her side and let out a sigh as she hugged the pillow and snuggled drown further into the balnkets. Smiling as he watched her, Lester yanked his shirt over his head and unbuttoned his pants. Once he had taken off all his clothes he went over and kissed Stephanie on the temple and walked over into his bathroom.

Lester took a wash cloth that he had wet and began to wash off his face, arms and neck. He was so thankful that New Jersey had banned smoking in all bars because he didn't have to smell like stale smoke. Grabbing his toothbrush he began to brush his teeth before going to bed. While he was wincing out the toothpaste he heard sounds coming from his bedroom. Tossing the toothbrush down, Lester hurried back over to his bedroom to see if Steph was ok.

"Steph" he said to himself when he saw her from the doorway agitated and moving around in her sleep

In two long strides, Lester made it over to Stephanie's side of the bed, sitting down he gently shook her.

"Steph" he softly said shaking her leg

"Please don't"

"Steph" Lester called out a little louder shaking her harder

Before Lester knew what was happening, Stephanie sat up right and yelled please don't hurt my baby. Taking a hold of her shoulder, Lester called to her as he held her firmly. Steph's eyes focused a little and she looked at Lester.

"Heyy what's going on?" he asked

"It was Jennea. He was here and he was gonna hurt the baby"

"ohhh Baby shhhh its ok. It was just a bad dream. Jenneas not here, your safe with me here in RangeMan" Lester told her hugging her to him

"It was just a dream" Steph stated

"Yea it was. Come on lets go to bed" he told her letting her go and bringing the covers down so he could crawl in

Lester slid into bed and brought Stephanie over so he could hold her. He leaned down and kissed her hair and ran soothing circles over her back. Laying her head down on Lester's strong chest, Steph laid there with her eyes open, panicked that she had said something even in a dream about the baby. Listening as Lester's breathing slowed she laid there unable to fall back asleep with her mind racing with thoughts of her dream, Jennea, the baby, and of Lester.

When Stephanie opened her eyes again it seemed like she had just closed them. She still was tired and felt like she hadn't slept. Stretching out her body she looked up into a pair of warm inviting brown eyes. Smiling she snuggled into his chest as his arms came around her.

"Morning Beautiful" Lester said kissing the top of her head

"Uhhhh"

"You have never been a morning person" he chuckled into her curls

"I'm so tired. Why am I awake?"

"Well" Lester began and then kissed her "I was thinking I'd take you over to the clinic today"

Lester felt Stephanie stiffen and knew she was fixing to protest. Steph lifted her head and looked him in the eyes and then closed them again. Moving the blanket off her, Steph climbed out of bed, walked over to where she had tossed her clothes that night, walked into Lester's bathroom, and slammed the door shaking the wall it was connected to. Shaking his head, Lester remained in bed waiting on Stephanie to come out. Five minutes later the door flung open and Steph stalked back into the bedroom.

"Steph" Lester called to her

"Steph" he called again as she rammed her feet into her socks and sneakers

"STEPHANIE"

"WHAT" she yelled back

"Where are you going?"

"To work" she spat

"You don't work on Sundays"

"Then I'll go home" she said stalking up the hall and into the living room

"Steph was pissed and she was tired. All her scenes were in overdrive. As she reached Lester's door and turned the knob and hand shot out and kept the door from opening. Not fully understanding that Lester was keeping the door closed, Steph took the knob again and pulled.

"Why won't the damn thing open?" she asked

Stephanie looking over saw Lester standing next to her. When he saw she was looking right at him he gave her a look telling her if she'd look more closely she would see why the door wasn't going to open. Following his look and then his arm to see he had his hand firmly against the door, Steph sighed and closed her arms around herself.

"I want to go home" she said

"Why"

"Because you won't drop it" she told him

"I'm just worried about you"

"I'm fine"

"I love you" he said cupping her cheek but Stephanie pushed him away

"Let me go" she gritted out

"No. I don't want you to go"

"DAMMITT LESTER I WANT TO LEAVE. YOU CANT KEEP ME HERE" she yelled

Looking at her and trying not to get pissed at her for yelling at him, Lester swallowed his knee jerk reaction to pop off.

"Ok, ok, shhh, how about we talk about the baby?" he asked


	33. Chapter 33

Stephanie felt her knees give way when Lester told her he wanted to talk about the baby. How did he know? Had he known all along and just waited to see how far she would go with everything? Stephanie felt herself begin to fall and saw Lester face grow concerned as his hands shot out and caught her.

"My God Stephanie are you ok? Your white as a sheet and your dripping in sweat" he said sitting her down running his hands all over her, checking her over

"How did you know?"

"Know what" he asked still doing his search of her

"About the baby"

"I'm going to get Bobby and then I'm taking you to that walk in clinic" he told her standing up

"NO! I need you to tell me how you knew about the baby"

"Steph you went green and almost fainted and you're dripping in sweat. Baby your sick and I'm going to get you help" he said going out of his door

A few minutes later Bobby came running in his boxers into the room carrying his medic bag with Lester behind him. Steph watched as the big RangeMan crouched down in front of her and looked at her with worry and concern like what was etched identically on Lester's face. When he slid his palm on to her cheek Steph sighed.

"Bobby everything's ok" she told him

"Steph let him check you out"

"I'm ok, I'm feeling better" she said to the both of them

"Lester said you almost fainter and you're sweating? Bobby asked "did you throw up too?"

"No and I was just caught by surprise at something Lester said that's all" she told him

"Dammitt Lester" Bobby said knowing Lester had probably came on to Steph and maybe crossed a line or something

"What?"

"What did you say to her" he asked as he did the customary temp, blood pressure, and pen light to the eyes check "and why is Steph here anyways?"

"I didn't say anything to her and she's here because I was her ride home and was asked to help get king. I was talking with her and told her to just go up and stay in my bed here"

It didn't make sense as to why Stephanie stayed with Santos and didn't go up to seven and sleep in Rangers place. Shrugging it off as something weird he placed his hand onto Steph's wrist taking her pulse

"He wanted to talk about a baby" Steph told Bobby catching his eye

When Steph said that he knew why she almost fainted, it wasn't out of sickness, but out of shock. He knew Steph hadn't told anyone except him about the baby and for Lester to say something about it had to have shocked her.

"That makes sense" Bobby responded

"Sense? What sense does that make?"

"Les Steph's ok maybe a glass of juice or something to raise her blood sugar but her colors returned and her pulse and everything is ok" Bobby said putting all his things back in his bag

"Oh and Santos, I suggest you don't let Ranger hear the word Baby come out anywhere near Steph and quit scaring the girl"

Lester gave Bobby a confused look as he got up and walked over to the door. Looking back again before leaving, Steph smiled letting him know she really was ok. When Bobby closed the door, Lester went and sat back down next to Steph.

"I still want to take you to the clinic" he told her

"No, you heard Bobby I'm ok"

"Fine but Steph I will take you next episode no matter the protests. I'll carry you out kicking and screaming in front of all RangeMan if I have too, you've been warned" he told her making her give him eye contact

"You said you wanted to talk about the baby. How did you know?"

"You said it" he told her

"I told you?"

"Yea and why does it have you so freaked out?" he asked

"Because I've never heard you talk of kids. When did I tell you about the baby?"

"Steph last night I came in around three, you were asleep so I washed off and was brushing my teeth. When I was rinsing out the toothpaste I heard you making sounds. I came in and saw you moving like you were agitated so I shook you to wake you. A few minutes went by you bolted up and said Jennea was trying to hurt the baby"

"Oh"

"Wanna tell me the dream and who father said baby?" Lester asked sliding his hand onto her stomach

Quickly Steph took his hand and held it. She began telling him about the dream where Jennea was pissed at her for some reason and she knew he was going to hurt her baby.

"Who was the father?"

"You are of course"

"Well you never know in dreams they can get weird" he told her

"You are the father of my baby"

Steph confessed to Lester, but she knew he didn't know it as the real thing. She watched as a grin spread across Lester's face and he hugged her to him.

"I think we should go practice" Lester said winking at her

"For what?"

"For that dream baby" he said slipping his hands onto her waist pulling her closer kissing her neck

"Ohh we really don't have to do that"

"But I want to" he told her claiming her lips

"You just want sex"

"No"

Stephanie pulled back and looked for the joking Lester she just knew she'd find, but to her surprise he was serious.

"Les" she said searching his eyes with hers

"Steph id love to have you carry my baby inside of you" he said touching her belly

"Really?" she asked looking as Lester touched her belly again

"Yes, you would be so beautiful all big and I know it was mine"

"Oh Lester" Steph said choking up as tears fell down her face. She flung herself into Lester and wrapped her arms around his neck. She felt now it would be all be ok when she told him about the baby after the Jennea case was over, when they wouldn't have anything in the way and finally could reveal to Ranger they had been seeing each other.

"Why are you crying?"

"Just happy" she told him one of her big questions had been answered

"Happy tears?"

"Yes"

Lester smiled rubbing her back with his hands. Stephanie stopped crying and just laid in Lester's arms, finally a little at peace.

"Lester?"

"Yea?" he asked

"Do you have any ice cream?"

"Ice cream? Steph its ten o'clock in the morning" he told her

"I'm really craving ice cream"

"Pregnancy cravings already?" he joked

"You could say that"


	34. Chapter 34

After a morning of strawberry Ice Cream and Lester dragging her back to bed after a kiss they had shared in his kitchen, Steph was now sitting in the RangeMan conference room watching as a group of RangeMen stood looking over the table of equipment.

"Why are you doing this now and not tonight?" She asked as Ranger handed a small mini cam and wires over to Lester

"I'd like to have the cover of darkness babe but it's just not possible"

"But won't you all be seen lurking around the building?" she asked seeing the guys stop and look at each other with smiles on their faces

Stephanie rolled her eyes, how dare she question their abilities to do anything. Ranger smirked and then resumed handing out and telling each man what his job was and what he expected of him. Saying not a word and giving an affirmative nod everyone walked out of the room in a single file line and made their way down to the fleet of SUV's.

When Tank radioed back to Ranger that the install team had headed out, Ranger came over and sat next to Steph intently watching her.

"You ok?" he asked

"Yep"

"Once we get video and sound up hopefully today or tonight we will get some stuff on this asshole" he told her

"Why didn't you go with the guys?"

"I didn't want to run the risk of tipping him off. He somehow knows RangeMan Boston, so I'm pretty sure he knows of me" Ranger said

"If he knows RangeMan Boston wouldn't he see the similarities of the guys and know they are from the same company?"

"Yes there is that possibility that he can put two and two together but we got him here and we have to try it"

Stephanie stood and walked over to the big plate glass window of the conference room where she crossed herself with her arms, much like Lester had done the night before. Ranger watched her as she looked down at the streets below. As she watched the cars going back and forth, Steph's mind began to swirl.

"Don't do that Steph" Ranger said startling her standing in front of her

"Do what?" she asked meeting her eyes to his brown ones

"Your letting your mind wander over ever little that could go wrong and you can't do that" he said cupping her cheek

"You said there was a possibility he could know the guys that are out there. He could know everything. You know I'm not and unknown, all of Trenton knows me"

"Babe stop" Ranger told her

"Ranger this could all blow up in our faces"

"Babe it's not going to. You have done so many distractions before and you know how we operate we leave nothing undone and this will be just like them" he told her

"There is just so much riding on this"

"Steph I promise you nothing will happen to you. Myself, Lester, and Bobby will be in a big van across from the shoot. We will hear and see everything the moment you pull up. All of the other guys will have everything surrounded. You will be safe I promise" Ranger promised her bringing her into his arms

Steph felt the warm pull of Rangers arms around her. She remembered how much she used to love being in his arms and how she hoped when she saw him next he would touch or kiss her. Pulling away she looked up at him as he leaned forward and kissed her.

"No, Stop we can't do this" Steph said putting her palms against her chest and trying to push away from him

"Why not babe?"

"Because it wouldn't be fair to.." she caught herself saying as her eyes snapped to his

"Fair to whom?.. Lester?"

"Lester? No, there's nothing going on between Lester and me" Steph told him hoping panic didn't come out of her voice because inside she was freaking out

"I know you were in his room this morning. Hal wondered if you were ok since Lester and Bobby rushed into his apartment to see you"

"It's not what you think. I was out with Lester last night. He was ready to take me home when he was asked to help with the King pick up. Being friends he told me to go use his place to just sleep over" Steph said praying he bought it

"Kiss me"

"What?" Stephanie asked not understanding if she had heard right

"Kiss me. If there is nothing going on with anyone then you should be able to kiss me"

"No Ranger I'm not playing these games with you anymore. I wanted to be with you, I came to you and told you that I loved you, but you said no" Stephanie said breaking out of his arms and walking away

"You always knew I cared about you and accepted the way it was, what's changed?"

"I wanted more. I wanted you" she told him

"Kiss me" Ranger said again pulling her back to him

Stephanie was getting scared. She usually was able to step away and duck Rangers advances but this was entirely different. This time the way he put it if she didn't kiss him he would know something was up and she felt he was suspicious already of Lester. What should she do?

"Man up Steph" she told herself thinking of protecting Lester

"Just kiss him and he'll back off for now and not think you're with anyone"

Steph closed her eyes and leaned forward. Ranger saw this and thought maybe he was wrong in thinking something was going on with her and Lester. He knew Steph and he knew she was pretty loyal to the man she was with when she was with them, so for her to kiss him showed him maybe they were just close friends.

"Sir Video and sound are online" Chet said walking in just as their lips were to touch "sorry Sir, Stephanie"

"Thank you" Ranger ground out

"Would it have changed anything between us Ranger?"

"You know I can't" he told her

"Then I can't. No more. I want more and you've made it clear you can't. I'll work for you, be loyal to you and the guys, but I can't and won't do "this" anymore" she said moving her hands between them "now let's go see what the guys did"

Ranger watched as Stephanie walked out of the room and on him. He did love her but he just couldn't give her what and all that she wanted. It was killing him to even think she wouldn't be a huge part of his intimate life anymore.

Stephanie dashed into the bathroom to collect herself. She was shaking inside and out. She had stood up to Ranger and told him there could be no more contact other than friends between them. Getting back her breathing, Steph felt a little lighter and couldn't wait to tell Lester what she had done. This was a move forward in the direction they wanted to go. Now if Ranger will respect her wishes but that remained to be seen.


	35. Chapter 35

When Steph came out of the Bathroom she heard the elevator ding indicating that someone had came up to the fifth floor. Craning her neck to see as she walked down the hall the doors opened to reveal Bobby and a group of men that went out to wire Jennea's building. Seeing Lester walk out a little dirty but otherwise unharmed she smiled to herself and turned back to talk to him.

"Hey how did it go?" She asked him as he spoke to Bobby

"Went great beautiful. Ranger should be picking stuff up as we speak"

"Yea Chet told us you all were online" Steph said thinking of almost kissing Ranger

"I'll be back I'm gonna go to the bathroom and then see if Jennea shows up"

"Ok"

When Lester went off to the bathroom Bobby trained his eyes on Stephanie and studied her a few minutes. When Steph looked up at him he gave her a little smile.

"You seem happy and relaxed a little more than usual" he told her

"Yea, I'm feeling better about things. Seems like all my ducks are lining up and its going to be ok"

"Finally talk to ranger?" he asked

"You could say that"

"How are you feeling otherwise?" Bobby asked

"Morning sickness is a little better, I'm avoiding coffee, and I love ice cream"

"Soo Ranger knows?" Bobby asked looking down the hall

"No I haven't told him yet. I want this case over with so there are no distractions and he's fully focused"

"I still don't want you going in there, your pregnant and in no shape to be doing this kind of thing. The baby could get hurt" Bobby pleaded again to her

"Bobby I don't want to either but Ranger's expecting me and so is Jennea. He's only taking pictures, I can handle that until you guys do your thing"

"He uses drugs to subdue women Steph" he told her

"I know"

"Promise me you won't eat or drink anything he offers you"

"I promise"

Bobby pulled Stephanie to him and hugged her. While he had her in his arms he whispered to her that when this was all over and Ranger didn't step up there were others in the building that would. Stephanie squeezed Bobby back a little tighter to let him know his message was received. After Lester had told her that he wanted to have a baby by her she thought she wouldn't have to see if Bobby's theory would be true. Stepping back from her, Bobby let her go and headed off to where Ranger was set up with the video equipment. Leaving Stephanie to walk down and slip into the bathroom.

"Hey Baby" Lester smiled at her thru the mirror as he washed his face off with a paper towel

"Hey"

"We got everything wired for tomorrow night. We will hear and see everything. If he farts we'll know" Lester said balling up his paper towel, turning to her, and throwing the wad of paper basketball style into the trash can

"Lovely"

"So what's up? You know we aren't to be in her together. The room is supposed to be cleared when you're in here" he asked as she advanced

Feeling good that some of her worries were working out, Steph was feeling bold. She wanted to show him how much she loved him and then she wanted to tell Lester how she told Ranger no more. Stepping into his personal space, Lester looked down at her.

"I have something to tell you, but first I wanted to give you something" she said looking up at him

"Will what you tell me make me mad?"

"Maybe at first, but in the end if you think about it you'll be happy" Steph said running her hands up his chest and circled his neck

"Ok lay it on me"

"My pleasure" Steph said as she brought Lester's head down and slowly kissed him

"Wow that was great but what I meant was what you had to tell me"

"I know but I wanted to give that to you so you'll remember that I love you very much and that I'd do anything for you" she said looking him in the eyes

"Oh boy I'm not gonna like what I'm about to hear"

Stephanie began telling Lester how she was worried that Jennea catching them while they were installing the equipment and then wondered if he would know they were RangeMan since he knew somehow of Boston. She saw when she told him about Ranger holding her that his face got a little red, but when she told him he kissed her, her reaction, his demands of a kiss, the condition of the kiss, and how she was going to, Lester's face was purple.

"NO DEFINATLY DO NOT LIKE WHAT I JUST HEARD" he gritted out

"I know Les but I was going to kiss him for you, so he would back off"

"Stephanie he's not going to back off" he told her heading for the door going after Ranger

"LES WAIT HE IS"

"Oh yea how?" he asked

Steph told him how she told Ranger she no longer wanted his kind of attention. That she would work for him, be loyal, but no more kisses or touches. Lester leaned his back against the bathroom door.

"I want to tell him" he told Steph

"Me too and I want to do it after Jennea"

"We do it Steph I mean it" he told her

"Yes"

Lester reached out and roughly pulled Steph to him. Crashing his mouth to hers they heard cheers come from the men down the hall.

"Looks like our work just paid off" Lester said hearing his brothers cheer and smack hands


	36. Chapter 36

Slipping into the monitor room unnoticed because of the celebrating, Stephanie and Lester stood with the guys wondering what was going on. Ranger stood up and quieted everyone down. Steph looked over at him and gave him a look that asked him what was going on.

"Babe the birdie is singing" he smiled the rare wide smile

"Ok?"

"What he means Beautiful is Jennea said something that will send him away for a long time" Lester told her

"Oh so I don't have to go in then?" she asked relief flooding thru her thinking she and her baby would be safe

Bobby looked at Ranger hopeful but knew it rarely played out that way.

"Sorry Babe but I still need you to go in. What we have on tape and what we get with you being sold will nail this jackass to the wall"

Both Stephanie and Bobby let out a garbled sigh. Ranger told Chet to man Jennea's monitor as he lead everyone else over into the conference room.

"Chet cue it up" Ranger said into his phone

"Yea I got thizz girl coming in tomorrow at eight thirty. Shezz a real how do you Americans say a looker?" they heard a thick French accent say

"Of courszzz I sure. I am top photographer. All dees girls you see in fashion magazines are my work. I know girls"

"I just might have myself some fun with miz. Stephanie before she iz sold to you, she iz that nice"

A loud crash was heard causing Stephanie to jump as Lester kicked his chair into the wall. Ranger stopped the tape and stared over at Lester. Stephanie moved over and placed her palm to his chest getting his attention.

"Les it won't go that far, you guys won't let it" she softly said

"He's a sick bastard. He is just calmly talking about selling you and wanting to do other things first"

"Santos" Ranger barked

"Sir" Lester responded taking his chair and rolling it back to the table

"Once we see them try to drug Steph and money exchange hands we swarm in and bust them" Ranger said "Babe we won't have to wire you because we rigged the entire building with sight and sound, so no worries on him detecting a wire"

"Ok"

"I, Bobby, and Lester will be in the monitoring van listening and watching the feeds from the shoot. Tank will have his own team and they will surround the grounds" he explained and everyone gave their approval

"Dismissed till seven thirty PM tomorrow, where we will get suited up and head out" Ranger said and walked out of the room

When everyone filed out of the room, Stephanie sat there not moving. When the last man was going out he stopped to check that everything was ok before shutting off the lights, as he did this he saw Steph sitting there lost in thought stroking her stomach.

"Steph you ok?" Tank asked coming to her

"Huh?"

"Are you ok?" he asked again

"Oh, yea just mentally getting prepared"

"I understand. You going thru everything that can happen" he said

"Yea. Something like that. I'll go now"

"Steph" Tank called out as she was walking out "I won't let you get hurt"

"Thank you" she said touched as a tear slid down her cheek

Steph walked down the hall with a lump in her throat. She was so touched at Tanks declaration that he wouldn't let her get hurt. Seeing Lester over to the side of the room laughing with some of the guys, she walked over to the elevator and punched the down arrow. Feeling herself getting worked up and out of sorts, Steph knew at any other time if these were different times she would just throw herself into her boyfriends arms, but she just couldn't. With the door opening on floor down from where she came, she walked to the end of the hall and knocked.

"I need… I just needed" she tried to tell him

"Come on" Bobby said stepping back and opening his arms

With tears freely flowing, Stephanie walked into his arms and buried her face into his chest.

"Oh Bobby"


	37. Chapter 37

Coming to work that evening was hard for Stephanie. As she guided her car down into the RangeMan Garage, she parked and sat there going off in to her own thoughts. Ranger had told her before going home yesterday to home and get in gear and come to work around seven that tried to get her head into the game but her mind was a jumbled mess. Jumping when her phone rang, Steph found herself stroking her stomach. Fumbling around in her bag she found her phone and on a shaky breath answered it.

"Hello"

"Babe we were all wondering if you were going to come up or should we all come down and meet in the garage?" Ranger asked her

"Huh?"

"Babe, Lester and Ram have been watching the monitors and you've sat in your car going on twenty minutes" he told her

"Oh God, ok I'm on my way up"

"Good we need to go over everything one last time before it all goes down" He told her

"Ok be there in five"

Stephanie tossed her phone back into her bag and thunked her head a few times on her steering wheel. Lester was manning the cameras and watched her sit in her car the entire time. She knew he would be wondering, but hopefully he'd just think it was nerves over Jennea.

As Steph got out of the car, Lester watched as she smoothed down her shirt and then bumps the door close with her hip. When he saw that she was on the elevator he swiveled in his chair to watch her when she arrived on the floor.

"You better stop that" Ram told him

"What?"

"Looking at bombshell" he told him as the elevator dinged

"And why can't I look at her?"

"Because of him" Ram said as Ranger left his office flanked by Tank meeting Steph as she walked off the elevator

Lester watched as Tank and Ranger took each side of Stephanie. Seeing her shake her head they all walked into Rangers office and closed the door behind them. Sitting in the chair in front of his desk, Steph listened as Ranger explained to her how the night should go. When he was finished he told Tank to go get Bobby and Lester.

"SANTOS, BROWN OFFICE NOW. MY TEAM SUIT UP" Tank barked and the men scurried

Steph looked up as the two men entered the room. Gone was their playfulness and ease, in its place was a blank face and the scent of testosterone. They were preparing themselves for war.

"I was filling Steph in on what we are about to do. I want us all on the same page. Our primary goals are keeping Stephanie safe and to nail Jennea" Ranger said and they all nodded

"Brown, Santos, and I will be in the RangeMan van. We will head out in about thirty minutes so we can be all set up. We will monitor the sound and the video feeds coming from the building. We will hear and see everything. Tank you're in command of the ground team. You are to make and keep all perimeters' secure. No one is to pass by or come in unless it's us. Got It?"

"10-4" they all said

"One question"

"Babe" Ranger said

"Everything is wired for sight and sound?"

"Yes" he said

"Dressing area, Bathrooms?"

The men looked at her.

"I'm just thinking that on my last shoot that was for the web site I changed several times. I don't want you all seeing me, and what if I have to go to the bathroom?" she asked

"Santos?"

"Don't worry Beautiful. We'd like to get the chance to see you but we didn't bug the dressing rooms or the bathrooms, just the main rooms and outside" he told her earning a glare from Ranger

"Ok that's all I wanted to know"

"Ok everyone you have your assignments, let's roll" Ranger said as he stood up "and ohh Steph do not eat or drink anything this slime gives you"

"Got it" she said looking over to Bobby

Stephanie followed they guys out of the office and onto the command room floor. What she saw when she stepped out of the office blew her mind. Men were running and scurrying everywhere. Utility belts were snapping on, Guns were loaded and checked, knives hidden on bodies, and vests were velcroed into place. Watching the men getting ready for combat, Steph search the sea of black for one particular RangeMan. When she finally found him she watched him.

Lester stood alone in the far corner of the room in an unused cubby. He had everything he was going to use laid out on the empty desk top. He slid his utility waist around his slim waist and clicked it securely in place over his belt; next he bent over and clicked the leg strap around his muscular thigh. Selecting the gun off the desk he carefully loaded it and held it up to make sure it was all set, placing it into the holster on his hip he snapped the small band in place to secure it.

Stephanie then watched as Lester took a very scary looking knife from the desk, held it up, and ran his fingers over the blade. Watching as he sheathed it on his leg he went back to his other weapons that were left. Watching as Lester put a small gun at his back and a smaller knife on his ankle, Steph suddenly became aware that Lester Santos was a very dangerous and lethal man. He had told her over and over he was just as good as Ranger but until now she hadn't given it much credence. Steph was freighted, intrigued, and a little turned on, ok she was a lot turned on. Any woman seeing a tall, dark, handsome man dressed all in black would be fanning herself. Kneeling and doing something Steph never seen any of them do. Lester crossed himself, stood up, and turned around to catch Stephanie staring at him, he walked over to her.

"Hey Baby" he softly said pushing some hair behind her ear

"Hi"

"What's wrong you're shaking?" he asked

"It just hit me how dangerous you really are"

Lester took a hold of her hand and dragged her off into the dark conference room. When he sat her down he told her to breath.

"Steph you knew this about me" he said watching her inhale and exhale "every one of us is armed at all times. It's our job"

"I know but seeing you do your weapons was just.. I don't know. You know this about Ranger it oozes from him, but I just saw you as Lester, jokey, flirty Lester"

"Steph I understand what you are saying. The only time I'm not armed is when I'm buried inside you" he whispered to her

"Is it wrong to be extremely turned on by you right now? I find you very sexy right this very moment"

"No because I find you sexy all the time and you turn me on just because you breathe" he said standing her up

His eyes never leaving hers, Lester slid his arm around her waist and pulled her to his hard body. Dipping his head he settled his mouth on hers and kissed Stephanie in a slow deep kiss. Pulling back,Steph laid her head on to his chest. Moving to look up at Lester. Steph reached up to kiss Lester again when the door to the room opened.

"Les man you in here?" Hall asked "OH SHIT"

"Steph was scared man, so I brought her in here to comfort her"

"Whatever man, not my funeral. Rangers ready to go" he told him walking out

"We better go" he told steph

"Yea"

Lester and Steph walked out of the conference room. The only ones left on the command floor were Bobby and Ranger. When he saw the both of them walk out together, Ranger shot Lester a dark look.

"Babe" he said as she walked up putting a hand on to her cheek "we are going now. Tank and his team are getting into place. Come when you are ready. Remember your appointment time"

"OK"

"We'll be right there. Anything goes wrong we are seconds away" he told her

"Ok"

"Go get em" Ranger told her and tugged her hair

Stephanie watched as Ranger, Bobby, and Lester walked to the stairwell door and disappeared behind it. Letting out a breath she looked up at the wall clock and saw it was seven forty five, plopping down next to Binkie who was manning the monitors and watching Jennea, she sighed.

"You'll be fine, look" he told her pointing to a monitor

Steph followed Binkies finger and saw Tank giving instructions and then disappear behind a tree, moments later a long black van parked behind a row of brush. If binkie hadn't showed her she never would have seen any RangeMen at all.

"We've got you Steph" Binkie told her

Steph's eyes filled with tears as she saw and felt the devotion of all the men towards her. Leaning over she caught Binkie off guard as she hugged him tightly and then left for her appointment. Blinking in surprise, Binkie shook his head as he watched Steph drive out of the RangeMan garage.


	38. Chapter 38

Ranger and the two other watched as Stephanie drove passed them and park a little bit above them. When she got out of her car she stopped for a second and looked at the brush row and the tree line, she knew where her guys were waiting.

"SHIT! How'd she do that?" Ranger asked hitting a button

"What? I don't see anything wrong" Lester said his heart racing as he searched Steph and her surroundings

"OPEN YOUR DAMN EYES THEN SANTOS. She just looked right at us and Tank. She made us, if she did the minute she arrived then Jennea could too"

"Command" Binkie's voice filled the van

Watching as Steph made her way to the door of the large Building where Jennea had told her, Ranger spoke a few minutes and then listened as his eyes and the four other eyes never left their screens.

"False alarm. Steph got emotional on Binkie, so he showed her the monitor that showed us getting into place. She cried, hugged him, and left" Ranger reported

"Where that woman will be the death of us all one day" Bobby said making Ranger and Lester smirk. They knew it too

Stephanie made her way up the long sidewalk to a large metal door. Placing her hand around the handle she pulled and it opened, stepping inside her heart began to race as she walked into the lion's den. Usually when she did this sort of thing she wasn't alone, she would appear to be alone but RangeMan would be the bouncer, the drunk, or the Bartender. Even though they were right outside Steph felt completely alone.

"Hello? Mr. Jennea" Steph called out to the large empty room "I'm Stephanie. I have an appointment with you"

"Hello Stephanie" a medium build man appeared to her side causing her to jump

"Mr. Jennea?" she asked. Bobby's knee began to jump up and down, Lester and Ranger dead calm

"Yezz it izz I, come and lezz get started. Shall we?"

"Contact has been made and identified" Ranger radioed to everyone

"I can't believe I got this opportunity. I've seen the models you've shot in the fashion magazines. You're a legend"

"Good Babe. Sick Bastards like him love to hear praise about themselves" Ranger said knowing Steph couldn't hear him

"We've taught her well" Lester said a little pride seeping in

"Thank you Stephanie. I love and take great pride in my works. Please allow me to introduce to you to some people from zee industry. This iz Mr. Rogers and Mr. Smith"

"Oh, Hello" Stephanie said shaking hands with the two men

"Two men along with Jennea identified as Mr. Rogers and Mr. Smith, obvious aliases "Ranger radioed his men

"10-4" came Tanks deep voice

"Stephanie pleazze have a seat azz I select your outfit for thizz shot" Jennea told her

"Ok"

Jennea went over to a room that was located in the corner of the building. While he was gone Steph looked over and found the two "industry "men were staring at her. They way they would look her up and down, and smile caused Steph's inner warning bells to go off. These were not legit guys"

"Here we go Stephanie therzz a changing room right over therzzz" Jennea said handing Steph a garment bag

Taking the bag Jennea held out to her, Steph wished she was back at the warehouse where Jessica and the real photographer were. They had put her at ease and right now she was seriously not at ease. Hanging the garment bag on the back of the door she unzipped it.

"OH NO!"

"Stephanie you ok?" Jennea asked and Ranger, Lester, and Bobby held their breaths waiting to hear since she had went out of range on video

"Yea" they all heard her say and the let out their breath

Ranger watched as Jennea walked away from the door to his two friends. When they got there they put their heads together and started quietly talking. Turning up the mic Ranger and the two other men listened.

"You like no?" Jennea asked

"Oh yes she is a fine piece of ass" one of the guys said

"Maybe after shezz out we can have a little fun" Jennea said

"HAHA yea what the boss don't know won't hurt him"

Lester ground his teeth. The thought of anyone touching Steph but him made him wanna rip into them. When these three sickos wanted to have their way with Steph while she was drugged just made him want to kill them. Watching Jennea walk back over to the changing room door he wanted to bust in and take them all down, but he knew he couldn't.

"Stephanie iz something wrong? We are waiting" Jennea asked

"Oh um I just need a moment please"

"All right" he told her and walked away

"Ok Steph how do you get yourself out of this? If you wear this everyone id gonna know your are pregnant" she said softly to herself

Taking the article of clothing out of the bag that Jennea wanted her to wear; she held it up to herself and looked into the full length mirror.

"Well I'm not showing that much. Maybe I can get away with it" she said looking over the gold sequined bikini

Sitting the bikini down over a chair in the room, Steph started taking her clothes off. She was praying to God that Ranger, Les, and Bobby couldn't see her right now standing there completely naked. Taking the bikini off the chair she unclipped the bottoms and shimmied them up her legs and into place. Taking the top, Steph tied it around her chest and then around her neck, with a few boob adjustments she stood back and looked at herself.

"Not too bad. If you look at me straight ahead I'm still pretty flat looking, but if you look at me sideways you will see my bump" Steph said running her hand over her tummy

"Stephanie wez must shoot now"

"Ok coming" she told him slipping a gold cover up on and the pair of clear heels that were inside the room" here goes everything"

Ranger watched as Stephanie came out of the room and walked over to where Jennea and the men were waiting. Jenna came over and took her hand and led her over to an area that had lights and little umbrella behind them. Sitting her down he cupped her cheek causing all three men in the van to suck in a breath.

"You are a beautiful creature" Jennea told her

"Thank you"

"Pleaszz take of the robe" he instructed

Stephanie stood up and placed her hands on the ties that held it to her body. She hesitated for a minute and then untied the ties, letting it come off she tossed it from her. When she turned back the smile on Jennea's face fell and a dark look appeared.

"What iz this? Iz this a joke?" he asked and Ranger radioed Tank

"What? What's wrong?"

"You realize what you've done? What you cost me?" he said coming towards Stephanie

"I haven't done anything" she said stepping back

"Haven't you heard I know a woman's body like the back of my hand? I can't use you, the dealz off. You're with child. You cost me millions you little bitch" Jennea said and backhanded her

"GO" ranger yelled as Lester was already at the front door. Then a sea of black stormed the building

Seeing everything around him collapsing, Jennea reared back to hit Steph again, curling up in a little ball Steph waited for the blow. As he was going to follow thru the unmistakable click of something shoved to the back of his head.

"Touch her again I dare you"

Lowering his hand, Bobby jerked him up and threw him at Lester and Ranger, who willingly accepted him into their arms.

"You ok Steph?" Bobby asked kneeling down to her

"Get me out of here Bobby, please" she cried

"Bobby she doesn't need to see this. Take her out and look her over and both of you in my office ASAP" Ranger ordered

"Yes sir. Come on Steph" he said getting the cover up and placing it around her

Bobby picked Stephanie up in his arms and carried her out to one of the trucks. As they were going out the door he saw Ranger and Lester turn on Jennea. Bobby knew he was going to be one busy medic tonight.


	39. Chapter 39

Bobby cuddled Steph into him as they walked down the fourth floor hall to his apartment. Flipping the lights on, he walked her over to his examing room and patted the cold hard table. Slipping up on it, Bobby brought over a small tray with stuff on it.

"Owww" Steph winced as Bobby cleaned her cheek with cleanser

"Sorry Steph. I know it stings, are you ok anything else hurt?"

"No I'm fine" she said

"Well the good news is you don't need any stitches but you got a nice painful bruise across your cheek"

Bobby went into his kitchen and filled a zip lock bag full of ice, before he returned he steadied himself as the picture of Jennea hitting her came to his mind. When he got back to the room his heart broke at the sight before him. Steph had covered her face with her hand and had broken down. Without speaking a word, Bobby went to her and pulled her to him.

Thirty minutes later, Ranger and his men dragged a bloody, swollen, black and blue Jennea and his two goons into the holding cells of RangeMan. Picking his cell off his belt he called Bobby.

"My office double time. If Steph's ok bring her"

Lester paced Rangers office back and forth. All he had wanted to do as he was taking care of the man who hit his girl was to run down to four and take her in his arms and never let her go. He was on his way to do just that until Ranger stopped him in his place and ordered everyone into his office.

"OK what the hell happened out there?" Ranger asked

"Don't know man he just turned on Steph and back handed her"

"There was no reason to…" Ranger said his words dieing when his door opened and Steph and Bobby came in sporting a nice bruise on her cheek

Lester didn't care anymore. When he saw her his heart sank to his feet. Walking over to her he pulled her into a bear hug and held her just so he knew that she was there and was ok.

"Baby are you ok? Are you all right?" he asked "God when I saw him hit you"

"I'm ok"

"Santos" Ranger said and Lester pulled away reluctantly

Ranger sat in his chair and steepled his fingers together, trying to put all the pieces together. There was no reason for Jennea to go off like he did. He never had a history of violence before. He watched as Steph eased herself down in his chair that was in front of his desk.

"Why would Jennea say you were with child? Ranger asked recalling Jennea telling how he couldn't use Steph because she was with child

Steph began to play with her fingernails and then the hem of the gold wraparound for the bikini she was still in. She was gonna say something but someone butted in "Maybe he wanted Stephanie to himself. You did say he would reject a woman if she had any kind of flaw. If he said she was with child he could keep her and all the deals would be off. We know he liked her before the shoot" Tank said

"Yea that's possible, but why tell her she cost him millions and hit her?"

"For show?" he asked as tears fell down Steph cheeks

"I'm pregnant" a soft voice was heard and everything went dead silent

"What did you say?" Ranger asked her as Bobby stepped up behind her and laid a supporting hand on her shoulder. Steph looked up at him and he nodded his head

"I'm pregnant" she said

Even thought Steph knew she had just opened a huge can of worms and everything was going to blow up at any second, she felt a huge weight had lifted off her as she finally said those words out loud.

As soon as he heard Stephanie say that she was pregnant, Lester snapped his head over to her and suddenly it all became clear to him. The pieces that he had worked and studied on for weeks all seemed to fit together now. It was because she was pregnant she was so sick and pukey, it was because being pregnant she was so emotional and challenged Ranger and everyone. Everything she had said and done had been because she had been pregnant all along. How could he have been so blind?

"How long?" Ranger stood and asked her

"Bobby counted three months"

"You knew Brown?" he asked shooting his black eyes over to his medic

"Yes sir and may I congratulate you"

"It's not Rangers" Steph said and Bobby looked down at her confused

"What do you mean it's not Rangers?" Bobby asked knowing they shared a history and to everyone in the building it was hands off she is Rangers

Before Stephanie could answer him Ranger flew across his desk and crashed Lester into a wall with his hands around his throat. Lester coughing, wheezing, and gasping for breath tried to push Ranger off him.

"You Son of a Bitch. You're responsible for this aren't you?" Ranger asked snarling his words out as he held Lester in place on the wall with his hands still around his throat

Tank and the rest of them men ran over and forced Ranger to let go of Lester. They didn't understand what was going on but they couldn't let him kill him. With the two vice like hands gone, Lester slid to the floor on his knees coughing and sucking in air.

"Hold it Ranger, we don't know anything yet. It's probably Morelli's" Tank told him

"No it's his. Three months ago he and Steph were stuck and snowed in the cabin. Morelli hasn't been a threat in a long time. You were fucking her the whole time weren't you Santos?" he growled

Lester made it to one knee, rubbing his neck trying to get in as much air as he could in his lungs. Steph watched in shock and horror. She knew. She told them it would be a huge mess when things came out. Seeing Lester finally stand up she went to go to him but he stopped her.

"No Steph, it all ends right now and then WE got to talk"

Lester looked over at the brooding Ranger "you had your chance and you kept pushing her away. She told me our first night in the cabin how much she loved you and wanted more from you. I asked her because I didn't wanna step on your toes if there was a thing there but she assured me there wasn't. So yea I did and now she knows how real love and devotion feels like"

Ranger lunged for Lester and swung his right fist. Taking the punch, Lester was expecting it and stayed up on his feet. Recovering from the blow, Lester swung and connected on Ranger. Fists and bodies were thrown and Steph looked around for help in stopping the pair that was in combat.

"It's best to let them go" Bobby told her

"But Ranger will kill him"

"Santos can hold his own trust me" he told her as they were back on their feet circling each other

"STOP" Steph yelled putting herself between them

"Move Stephanie" Ranger commanded

"NO NOW STOP!" she said and sucked in a breath "Ranger I loved…" was all she got out as her hand flew to the side of her pelvis, a crippling pain racking her body.

Ranger caught her as she hit the floor "BABE WHATS WRONG?" he asked cradling her head in his lap. Lester and Bobby fell to her side their hands running all over her, fear running thru them.

"OWWWWW!" Stephanie screamed out balling into a fetal position

"HOSPITAL NOW!" Bobby yelled picking her up with everyone running behind him


	40. Chapter 40

All the way to the hospital, Steph stayed curled up in a ball. Bobby sat in the back with her as the RangeMan SUV barreled down the streets to the emergency room doors. When they pulled up, Bobby picked her up and Steph let out a cry as another pain shot thru her. Hal ran to the doors and opened them as Bobby rushed thru them.

"I NEED HELP PLEASE" Bobby called out as Ranger and Lester got there with the rest of the RangeMen

"What's the problem?"

"This is Stephanie Plum. I'm Bobby brown RangeMans medic and I've been caring for her" he said laying her down on a bed an orderly pushed over "She's three months pregnant and collapsed with Sevier pain"

Lester rushed over to the bed and looked down upon Steph; she was in so much pain. He ran his fingers thru her hair and bent to kiss her sweaty forehead.

"Oh God I'm do sorry" she tried to say but the pain was just too much and it over took her and she screamed and cried out

Lester was a tough guy and tough guys never cried but looking down on Steph clutching herself and screaming in so much pain that he couldn't take it and felt tears filling his eyes, His heart broke for the woman he fell in love with and the baby he had just found out about.

"Please you have to help her" he said his voice strained

As soon as Lester said it, Steph was snatched from him and wheeled crying into the ER. He went to follow but an orderly stepped in front of him halting his advance. Looking at the guy trying to be tough, Lester almost laughed as he began to push by him.

"Sorry Sir but we can't let you back their" a nurse said coming to stand next to the orderly

"That's my girlfriend screaming in there"

"I know Sir but the way you are I can't allow you in there. It's all sterile and you would contaminate" she told him

"Contaminate?"

"Maybe you and your friend over there should be seen as well" she said as Bobby came over and whispered something into Les's ear causing him to look down at his knuckles and over to Ranger

"I'll take care of these two" Bobby said and Lester shoulders dropped but lamented

Opting to run back to RangeMan to shower, Ranger left Lester to sit in the back of one of the SUV where Bobby cleaned and assessed his face and body. Cleaning his face with an alcohol swab Cal came running and told Bobby a nurse was looking for him. Lester picked his head up and locked eyes with Bobby and they all took off running back into the ER where they heard Steph screaming Bobby.

"I'm Bobby" he said to a nurse

"Miss. Plum has been asking for you and if you come in she'll maybe calm and let us help her"

"I'll do everything I can dude" Bobby said turning to Lester

"Just go Man help her, do anything"

Lester painfully watched as Bobby and the nurse went behind the two big doors. Sitting down in the chairs in the waiting room, Lester placed his arms over his elbows and let out a long breath he had held ever since Stephanie had collapsed.

"You and Bombshell huh?" Cal asked

"Yea"

"Why not say anything? We've all said stuff to and in front of you about her over these last few months" he asked

"Steph wanted to keep quiet because of ranger. She didn't want him to.."

"Kill you, send you to Siberia for being with his woman" Cal answered

"Yea"

Cal looked over at Lester's tired and battered body "She'll be ok; Bobby and the Doctor's will help her"

"Thanks Brother"

Bobby followed the nurse that had came and got him down the hallway past several ER bays. She stopped at the one and told Bobby to wait a minute that the Doctor would like to talk to him, nodding his head the nurse slipped behind the curtain. A moment later a man in a white lab coat came out.

"I'm Doctor. Saunders, I'm trying to help Miss. Plum. I understand she's three months pregnant?"

"I'm Bobby Brown I'm the RangeMan medic and yes by her words that's what I've calculated" Bobby said shaking his hand

"Mr. Brown will you assist me in the care of Miss. Plum? We are trying to help her but she's freighted and hindering the process. We need to do some exams and feel you may help keep her calm so we can do them. She has been asking for you."

"I'll do anything you need" Bobby said as the Doctor shook his head and pulled the curtain back

When Bobby stepped into the Bay his heart tightened in his chest as he saw Steph still laying there in a tiny ball sobbing. The only thing that had changed was there was two IV's now in her arm. Walking over he moved her hair from her face.

"Bobby" she breathed out

"Yea it's me"

"Can you take me home to RangeMan and treat me there?" she asked

"Oh baby I'm so sorry but you need more advanced care than I can give you"

"I'm scared"

"I know you are. Will you let them help you feel better?" he asked

"Bobby I'm loosing the baby aren't I? I've never really bonded with it or gotten to really love it. I was so wrapped up in this messed up crap"

"Stephanie" Bobby said his voice going firm, he knew that time was of the essence here "there's no time for this. The Doctor and nurses are going to help you now. I'll be right here with you and we'll do everything we can to save your baby, but you have to let them try"

"You won't leave me?"

"No I'm staying right here" he said taking her hand and squeezing

"Ok"

Bobby nodded to the stunned Doctor Saunders. He was amazed at how quickly Stephanie had calmed in just minutes of the big man in black coming into the room. Turning to the nurses he gave the orders of what he wanted to do with Steph. Seeing stirrups being pulled from the bed and nurses beginning to get Steph undressed, Bobby looked away to preserve some of Steph's modesty and also out of respect to Lester's relationship with her that they all had just found out about.

Hours later Bobby walked out from behind the Emergency room doors and saw that Ranger had rejoined the men at some point. He was standing accessing everyone in the far corner of the waiting room. Bobby watched as Hector recognized him and punched Lester in the arm. Lester annoyed looked at Hector who pointed at Bobby. Following Hector's finger, Lester saw Bobby and jumped from his chair.

"Stephanie" Lester said to his friend

"Right now she is being moved to the maternity ward into her own room"

"What happened? Is she ok? What about the baby?" he asked and Bobby held up a hand to stop him

"Les I'll tell you and everyone"

"Steph's body just couldn't handle the pressure it had been under for the last couple of weeks, so she started to miscarry. She was in a lot of pain and when the Doctor finally was able to get her undressed they saw she was spotting"

"Spotting?" Lester asked

"Bleeding. Stephanie was starting to bleed. They performed a vaginal exam and when the doctor showed me his fingers after he brought them out, they had some blood on them"

"Did she loose..?" Lester asked as lump forming in his throat

"No, she was in the early stages though but they were able to stop the bleeding"

"She's still pregnant?" Lester asked

"Yea she is"

"Can I see her?" he asked relief washing over him and all the men nodding that they too wanted to see her

"Well they are moving her right now. I told them and her that I would come out and tell you what was going on and then come back to see what's going on with Steph and get her settled and come back to let everyone know"

"Thanks Bobby" Lester said squeezing his shoulder

"Anytime. Anything for Steph"

When Bobby ran back to check on Steph, Lester let out another long breath he was holding ever since Bobby ran back there the first time. Flopping into a chair, Lester extended his long legs in front of him and placed a few fingers over his mouth.

"Hey Les what's wrong? Looks like Steph and the Baby are going to be fine. Wow a baby that sure was a surprise" Hal said sitting next to him

"Everything" Lester said Ranger cutting his eyes to him. Gone was the caring man who was fearful for Steph, now in its place was a silent brooding man


	41. Chapter 41

When Bobby came out the first time and told that Stephanie was going to be ok, most of the guys left and returned back to RangeMan leaving just mainly the core team behind. Waiting on Bobby to come back out to tell them that they could see her, most of the group was standing talking, or just milling around waiting. Lester sat quietly in deep thought trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he was going to be a father and how close he had came to nearly loosing that chance to be one. He was so far gone in his mind that when Bobby came out he missed him until he felt a tap on his shoulder. When Lester looked up all the guys were standing by the door waiting for him to come.

When Lester and the rest walked into Stephanie's room they really didn't know what to expect. They had been here numerous times throughout the years bringing Steph or taking her home, but never was it for something like this. Easing the door open to room two twenty two, they walked in as normal as they could. Steph was lying in bed in the issued hospital gown with the covers tucked around her waist. In her arm was two IV's that ran to a square blue box with lots of buttons that beeped ever so often.

Lester hung back and leaned his shoulder onto the wall studying the scene before him and listening to her talk to the men. He was so confused at how to feel. One part of him wanted to run to her, muscle himself thru the guys and scoop her into his arms and thank God that his Steph was ok. The second part of him was feeling something stronger that was holding him back and keeping him rooted at his place on the wall, Anger.

Cal and Hal bent over and kissed Steph on the forehead and wished her to come home soon. As they left they smacked Lester on the shoulder and told him that he had better take care of their girl or they'd make him pay. Apparently they had little trouble accepting them as a couple. Nodding that he would they left as Tank came forward and sat on the side of the bed.

"Hi " Steph said scooting down into the bed more so she could lay better

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired and sore" she told him

"Yea probably like these Neanderthals will be later tonight or in the morning" he said motioning his head to Ranger and Lester, causing steph to grin a little as she looked over at them

"Promise me that from now on no matter what is going on you'll tell me before any of this happens again"

"I will" Steph promised and Tank kissed her on the forehead like the other had

Before Tank left he walked over to Ranger and spoke to him warning him not to fight with Lester if he goes back to take care of RangeMan until he gets back. Ranger giving him a look, Tank walked over to the door and stopped at Lester, Lester nodded as Tank and he did the silent communication thing. When Tank left, Steph looked at the three remaining men, Ranger, Bobby, and Lester who she wanted desperately to talk to her.

"Les" she said being bold. There was no need to hide now, they all knew they were together and she was pregnant with his baby

Lester locked eyes with her as she patted the bed where Tank had just vacated. Pushing off the wall he made his way over and sat down.

"Les I'm sorry you had to find out this way. This isn't how I planned on telling you" she said

"Steph maybe now is not a good time" Bobby told her

"No I need too" she told him as Lester's jaw muscles tightened and untightend

"How could you? What were you thinking?" Lester asked calmly but with an edge to his voice

"I was scared. I didn't know if you even wanted kids till just recently and I knew if I told we'd be found out and you would have been…"

"You should have worried about the baby Steph not me. I'm capable of taking care of myself" he said getting a little more forceful "Nothing Steph, nothing else should have mattered. Once you found out you were pregnant everything should have stopped"

"Your right I should have" she said

"You've been doing things NO pregnant woman should ever do. You've risked yourself and our baby. GOD Steph you went in on a mission with a man that sells women as sex slaves and drugs them. WHAT IN THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?" he yelled

"Lester" Bobby said trying to diffuse the situation

"I know you didn't tell your baby's doctor what you were planning on doing because there is no way in hell they would let you and tell you that this was ok"

"Bobby was treating me" she said cutting her eyes over to him

Lester's face went red as that piece of info hit him "EXCUSE ME?"

"I've only allowed Bobby to know that I was pregnant and he's the only one that's seen me" she said again and watched as Lester jumped up and turned to her with his hands moving wildly

"WHAT? YOU'VE NOT SEEN A DOCTOR?"

"I trust Bobby" she said

"I love and trust Bobby to with my life but STEPH you needed to be seen by a real doctor" he said and turned to bobby

"And you what the hell were you thinking? You should have forced her to go"

"I did. The first time she came to me and asked for help I told her that I didn't know anything about women's health or pregnancy. I've told her over and over to go to a doctor, but every time I did she would say no. So I'm not going to not help her" Bobby told him and Lester blew knowing she was told and chose not to go.

"MY GOD STEPH YOU WERE TOLD AND YOU STILL DIDN'T GO? YOU'RE A SMART GIRL YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER"

"I was scared. I felt to keep you, us safe I had to appear and do the things that I would normally do" she said "And if I went to a doctor everyone would see me and know. Then Ranger would find out and you all would fight, which you did"

"WHAT RANGER THOUGHT OR FELT DIDN'T MATTER, HOW I FELT DIDN'T MATTER, IF THE GUYS FOUND OUT OR NOT DOSENT MATTER, THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERD AND MATTERS IS OUR UNBORN CHILD. ALL THIS TIME YOU'VE BEEN STUPID AND RISKED OUR BABY'S SAFTY AND YOURS FOR A DAMN SECRET. GOD STEPH"

"Lester she is in a hospital" Bobby reminded him

"AND SHE WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE IF SHE WOULD HAVE DONE THE RIGHT THINGS"

Stephanie wanted him to know that she knew what he said was the truth and that she knew what she did was selfish and stupid, but when she opened her mouth to tell him, Lester took it as she was going to defend her actions and held his hands up and walked away.

"Lester" Steph called out to him

"I need some air" he said and walked out of Steph's room causing her to break down into tears

"Babe" Ranger said finally breaking his silence. Stephanie looked over at him thru teary eyes "Lester and I might be at odds right now but I agree with what he says and how he feels. You should have just stopped all of the lies when the baby came into play" Ranger looks over at Bobby and walks out of the room.

Stephanie broke down into sobs. Bobby walked over, slid into bed with her, and pulled her to him. Steph buried her head into his chest and cried.

"You gonna leave me too?" she asked and Bobby pulled her head back so he could look into her eyes

"No, I made a promise to you that I'd never abandon you"

"Les is so mad and he has every right to be. All that he said was true" she said

"I know"

"I just got so caught up and messed up, I couldn't stop" she explained

"I know and that what happens when people lie and keep secrets, it all comes out sometime. Now thought that it's all out in the open I'm sure it will be ok and it will all work out"

"Do you really think so Bobby?" she asked as he held her and stroked her hair

"Yea, Les will calm down and realize he loves you and the baby. Ranger will work it out and you will get the proper medical care you need"

"What if it don't, then what?" she asked knowing Lester and Ranger could easily say no and never return

"Then like I've told you before there is a lot of people that will gladly step up and take their place"

Steph cuddled herself into Bobby's big warm body. The day's events and the pain that she had been in along with all the stress and lies had finally caught up to her and she was out. Looking down, Bobby kissed her head and just held her in his arms.


	42. Chapter 42

Ranger handed over his money to the cashier at the hospital as he paid for his coffee. While he walked out his phone rang. Grabbing it off his belt he saw that it was Tank.

"YO"

"We just fed Jennea and his cohorts. He started talking and asked for protection" Tank told him

"Let the feds handle that tomorrow. As far as RangeMan is concerned we are done with this case. The only thing I care about is that he hit Stephanie and we took care of that"

"10-4" he said

"Anything else?"

"No, Just Santos squealed in here on two wheels, nearly taking the gate off when it was opening" Tank said

"Where is he now?"

"Umm Camera shows him in the gym trying to take off the punching bag with his fists. Should I intervene?" he asked

"Leave him"

"Roger" Tanks said and Ranger hung up

Driving down the ramp at RangeMan, Ranger lifted the two prints that he had swiped off of Stephanie's hospital room table out of his pocket and looked down at them. They were ultrasound pictures of her and Lester's baby. He traced over the small blob on the picture and let out a sigh. Accepting and knowing what he had to do he made his way from his porche to the gym.

When he got in there he found Lester hammering away on the punching bag. He was shirtless and covered in sweat. As she approached. Lester never stopping acknowledged him.

"What ever you have to say I don't care to hear it"

Ranger just stood back and watched Lester beat the shit out of the bag. Seeing he was getting tired he watched as the last few punches were thrown with growls. When Lester stopped he threw his head back and let out a loud combination scream and growl.

"Got it out?" Ranger asked

"She was so stupid"

"Yes" Ranger agreed

"She risked her life and the baby's life"

"Yes" he said again

"She could have lost that baby and I would have never got the chance to be a part of it"

"Yes" Ranger said letting Lester vent

"I love her so fucking much it fucking hurts"

Ranger stepped up to Lester "I know" He said as they locked eyes

For the first time in their history together, Lester saw what he thought was sadness in Rangers eyes. Then it hit him, this was how he had loves Steph.

"Ranger" he said but Ranger held his hand up to stop him

"I couldn't or wouldn't give her what she wanted so she found it somewhere else"

"She really did love you and I think a part of her still does and always will"

"Yea I realize that, and I'll kick myself forever for allowing her to get away. She chose who her heart belongs to" he said and Lester nodded

"What do I do now?"

"Your decision" he said and he reached into his pocket. Lester readied himself for an attack from Ranger "Here no one knows I lifted these from Steph's room"

Lester letting his guard down looked at the two things Ranger held out to him. After letting a few minutes pass, Lester took the things from Rangers hand and looked at them. It was two black and white pictures with something that looked like a small bubble in the middle of them.

"What is this?" Lester asked turning the pictures around trying to make them out

"Those are ultrasound pictures. That is your Baby growing inside of Steph"

Ranger watched as Lester intently stared at the photos "your decision" he said and walked out knowing Stephanie would probably only bee in his life from now on as a close friend

A freshly showered and changed Lester quietly walked down the hall of the maternity ward of the hospital. With it being after visiting hours he was trying to not to draw to much attention to himself. Slipping into Stephanie's room un-noticed he found Steph asleep curled up in Bobby's arms. Feeling a presence in the room, Bobby woke up to see Lester staring back at him.

"She ok?" he asked

"Yea all her vital are normal. Everything that has went on finally got her and she's out cold"

Lester rocked back on his heels a couple of times as he scanned over Steph sleeping " Trade you?" he asked and Bobby slid Steph from his arms and kissed her

Bobby watched as Lester took off his boots and slid into the spot that he had previously held. Walking over to the door to go home, Lester stopped him.

"Thank you for trying to help her"

"No problem. Like I said before anything for Steph"

Bobby opened the door to Steph hospital room. Before he left he looked back to see Lester pull Steph into his arms, kiss her lips, and slide his hand under her blanket, touching her stomach. Feeling at peace, Lester closed his eyes and Bobby quietly closed the door leaving the couple to sleep in peace.


	43. Chapter 43

Feeling movement next to him, Lester opened his eyes to see that Stephanie was stirring in her sleep. She would move her arm that housed the IV's and make a face. Lester slid his hand onto her arm and stopped her so she wouldn't pull anything loose. Quieting down, Steph began to nuzzle back into the warm body that was pressed up against her. At that moment Lester was so thankful it was him instead of Bobby that was behind her right now because her ass was currently wiggling against his hardening groin. With all the wiggling Steph was doing when she flipped onto her back Lester couldn't resist the urge to kiss her. Leaning over her he softly slid his hand onto her face and slowly began to kiss her.

Not being fully awake yet, Steph responded to the kiss. When her brain began to catch up with her she remembered that it was Bobby that had been with her and that now he was kissing her. Struggling to come fully awake she began to push "Bobby" away.

"Bobby no don't do this" she said trying to move away from him

"Steph"

"I love you but I can't. We can't" she said and began to struggle when the person she thought was Bobby began stroking her face

"It's not Bobby"

When Stephanie heard those words her eyes finally opened and stared into the warm eyes of Lester Santos. He looked down on her and stroked her cheek with his thumbs. The realization that Lester was here in her bed, had kissed her, and was now looking lovingly at her caused her eyes to fill with tears.

"You're here" she said

"Yea"

"Where's Bobby?" she asked

"RangeMan I guess"

"We ok?" she asked him searching his eyes for an answer

"I think we will be"

"Ohh Lester" Stephanie said as the tears fell and she buried her head into his chest

Lester held her and rubbed her back soothingly. When Steph had calmed down she pulled back and looked up at Lester as he cupped her cheek in his hand.

"I love you Stephanie" he told her

"I love you too Les"

Lester leaned forward and claimed Stephanie's mouth in a slow kiss. Leaning her back onto the bed he came over her and deepened the kiss. The two of them were pouring everything they had into the kiss and failed to notice that Doctor Saunders had come into the room to check on Stephanie.

"UMMM HMMM" Dr. Saunders loudly cleared his throat causing the kissing couple to break apart "feeling better Stephanie?"

"Sorry, this is my Boyfriend Lester Santos" she said out loud for the first time locking eyes with Lester

"It's nice to meet you" Dr. Saunders said shaking his hand as he got out of bed from Steph

Dr. Saunders talked with Stephanie and Lester about what had happened to her and told her that he was going to examine her again to see if she was still bleeding or if it had stopped. Lester watched as a Nurse came in and the Doctor got to his work. After the exam was over and Dr. Saunders washed his hands he turned back to Lester and Stephanie picking up her chart as he spoke.

"Well good news the bleeding seems to have stopped completely" he told her

"Can I go home?"

"How does Lunch sound?" he asked

"Sounds great"

"I want to keep a close eye on you for a while. I have a private practice and want to make you an appointment for you to come in and see me. I want to monitor you with regular ultrasounds and checkups" he said

"Ok"

"Stephanie if I let you go home you have to rest. No work, no stress" Dr. Saunders said and Lester looked over at her

"No need to worry on that she is done playing superwoman. All the secrets are out and the mission is done" Lester said to the doctor locking warning eyes with Steph

"Good" the Doctor said as he and Lester saw Steph redden and advert her eyes to her bed "I'll send in a nurse to take out your IV's. If you feel anything that you think is funny or wrong or you see any blood in your panties, call me immediately"

"I will. Do you think it will be ok to do desk work?"

"Right now I'd like you off your feet and after your next appointment with me then I'll see how I feel about it. Ok?" he asked

"Ok"

"The nurses will be in. See you soon" Dr. Saunders said as he headed for the door

"Thank you" Lester called out as the Doctor left the room

Once the Doctor was gone, Lester took a hold of Stephanie's chin in his hand and looked into her eyes. Lester told her that what he told the Doctor he meant.

"There are no more secrets, all the guys know we are together and so does Ranger, the baby secret is out now, and last but not least Jennea is busted and going away" he said "Never again Steph, I know everything now. I'm going to be watching you at all times and when I can't I know Ranger and the others will" he told her

"I understand"

Lester leaned down and softly kissed her. When they parted he slid back into bed with her. Stephanie closed her eyes as she lay back in his arms, waiting on the nurse to come in for her IV's. While they were waiting, Steph felt Lester shift a little and then felt his hand running up her thigh.

"Les what are you doing?" she asked feeling her gown being pushed up

"Well I've been denied for a while so I'm finally meeting my baby"

Steph looked down to see what he was doing. Not being able to see from her position, she sat up and saw that Lester had brought her gown up over her tummy exposing it for all to see. When she looked up at him he had this thoughtful look on his face.

"I don't know how I never saw this" he said gliding his hand over her tummy

"No one did. I kept it hidden with sweatshirts"

"But I've slept with you. We've been naked together" he said

"I kept you off that general area"

"You won't now" he said watching his hand slide over her small baby bump

"No, but Les you're kinda showing everything I got"

"It's only us in here and if anyone comes in well they have seen it all before" he said still rubbing Stephanie's belly

Stephanie saw the look on his face as he gently rubbed her and couldn't bear the thought of asking him to stop. She laid back and allowed Lester some time to "Bond" with her bump. After a few minutes, Lester leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on top of the bump, whispering something that Steph couldn't hear, and then he lowered her gown back down, and laid with her. A few moments later the nurse came in to remove the IV's.

"I'll go get us some food" he said as the nurse went to work

"Ok"

While Lester was out getting food he made a call into RangeMan to let everyone know the status on Steph. He told them that she was going to be discharged after lunch and that he was out getting it for them. Bobby came online and told Lester to tell Steph that if she still wanted him he would still help her if she needed. Lester quickly agreed that he could but along the side of her Baby doctor as well. Bobby told him that that's what he had always wanted for her. A few more comments were made and then Lester hung up and went in search for them some lunch.

When Lester returned, Steph sat free in her bed waiting on him. When he sat the food down on her small rolly hospital table he looked over at her and smiled. Rolling the table over to her bed he sat out her food for her.

"The nurse said I can't really move until I leave" Steph said opening her burger

"Ok"

"No it's not ok. I wanted to have my clothes on and wait on you"

"So, then I'll help you later. You just follow whatever they say Steph"

"Les I'm not an invalid. I can stand and do" she said taking a mouth full of burger and a few fries

"Steph I know you can. They just want to make sure you don't start bleeding again and you are going to listen and do what they say and tell you. I nearly lost this chance; I refuse to allow it to happen again"

"Ok" Steph sighed knowing she wasn't going to get away with anything right now

Stephanie learned what Lester had said about watching from now on to be true. Once she got out of the Hospital and walked into RangeMan all the guys flocked around her, hugging, kissing, and joking with her about picking Santos over them.

As she celebrated being out and amongst them again she felt eyes on her and looked over to see Lester protectively watching her. She caught his eyes and smiled at him, seeing her smile he smiled back and then walked up to her. Taking a hold of her waist, Lester pulled her to him and did what he had wanted to do ever since he started dating her, kiss her in front of all the guys. With woops, hollers, screams, and cat calls from all of them, Lester pulled apart and smiled at Stephanie, they were free.

"OK ok Steph has orders that until she sees her doctor next week she is to rest, so I'm taking her to OUR apartment" Lester told all the guys as they locked eyes hearing groans and some whistling

As Lester held onto Stephs hand and began to lead her away from the crowd over to the elevator to go down to the fourth floor, Steph stopped suddenly causing Lester to stumble from not expecting her to stop. When he turned around he saw Steph staring at Bobby with tears in her eyes, letting her hand go he watched as Steph made her way over to his friend.

"Oh Bobby" he heard her say as he saw his friend open his arms

"I love you Stephanie" Bobby whispered into her ear

"I know and I love you too. You never left me"

"I said I wouldn't and I'm not going to start now either" he told her

Steph looked up into her friends eyes and leaned up to give him a soft kiss on the lips. She knew he would always be there for her and would help her even when he knew and felt it was wrong. Thanking him again she pulled back and smiled.

"Don't get used to that" she said and returned back to Lester leaving Bobby to smile at her

Over the next six months Stephanie returned to work, grew closer to Lester, grew stronger, and larger, and found out that she was having a little girl. True to Lester's word she never did get away with anything. If she felt bad or threw up she would be asked if she was ok or how she felt and Steph would always tell them she was fine. Lester would give her a look and she would usually confess on how she really felt.

As for Ranger he never really interfered or said much of them being together. He mostly accepted it the day he stole Stephanie's first ultrasound pictures and saw the small baby that was growing inside her and knew that it wasn't his. He still truly loves her and regrets never stepping up and being the man she wanted and wished for. Watching her grow big and happy with Lester he knew that it could have been him if he wouldn't have pushed her away and just allowed it. In the back of his mind he always knew that there was a chance that someone could slip in and steal her heart, he just didn't figure it would be Lester Santos.

As he walked out of his office he stopped when he heard the familiar sound of Steph giggling. Ranger turned to see that Lester was knelt in front of her rubbing her Belly and speaking to it. When he leaned up to kiss her, Ranger turned on his heels and walked away knowing that they would be forever bound.

THE END!

A/N Thank you everyone for your reviews and responses on this story. They meant the world to me. I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Keep a look out for a new story coming soon about another Merry Man and Steph.

Love Karren.


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